We are continuing to discuss with VPOA any changes to 12-hour shifts and retired annuitants. The last meet and confer took place on January 25, 2024. The next meeting is scheduled for the second week of February.
Current Staffing Numbers (as of February 1, 2024):
Total Sworn Staffing: 73
Number of Officers Working Patrol: 33
Outside Agency Assistance:
An initial meeting with Solano County Officials and the Sheriff to explore contract services has occurred. Several staffing solutions options were discussed at this initial meeting. A follow-up discussion is scheduled for February 5, 2024, where the Sheriff is expected to provide a proposed staffing plan with estimated costs. The staff is reviewing the Sheriff's proposal and collecting additional documents needed to determine the cost.
The City Manager is also in the process of drafting and releasing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for uniformed unarmed and armed security guards.
Emergency Conditions Remain:
As stated above on July 23, 2023, the City Council adopted a proclamation declaring a state of local emergency pursuant to Government Code Section 8550 et. seq. Pursuant to California Government Code Section 8630(c) the City Council is required to review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the City Council terminates the local emergency. Council last reaffirmed the emergency at its December 19, 2023, meeting.
Based upon the continuing staffing conditions outlined above, staff requests that the City Council reaffirm the existence of the state of local emergency.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate financial impact associated with this item. Any potential impact will be brought back to City Council with related costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
ATTACHMENTS
None
CONTACT
Jason Ta, Interim Chief of Police (707) 648-4540
[email protected]
ACTION ITEM 9.D.
DATE: February 13, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Jason Ta, Interim Chief of Police
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION RELATING TO AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 7.81- SECURITY ALARM SYSTEMS OF THE CITY OF VALLEJO MUNICIPAL CODE
RECOMMENDATION
Consider the Fontana Ordinance and provide direction as to whether to amend Chapter 7.81 - Security Alarm Systems of the City of Vallejo Municipal Code to be in line with the provisions of the Fontana ordinance.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION
In July 2023, City Council unanimously voted to approve a proclamation declaring a local state of emergency related to public safety staffing. Sworn staffing numbers at the Vallejo Police Department have been on the decline over the past couple of years, however, calls for service remain high.
For the department to respond to higher-priority crimes more efficiently, a revised municipal code adopting a verified alarm response protocol is being requested to divert approximately 148 hours per month towards other police responses.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
On March 21, 2023, Interim Chief of Police Jason Ta provided a presentation to the City Council with the status of department staffing and police resources. The presentation outlined four phases the police department would need to implement if sworn officer staffing numbers continued to decline.
Phase one examined the department’s service delivery efficiencies. As part of phase one, department staff conducted two internal studies examining alarm call activations and officer time spent during these responses.
The initial study (completed in April 2023) revealed that between 2020 and 2022, the department received 10,509 alarm calls for service with 98% of the calls determined to be false alarms (no crimes committed). The follow-up study (completed in August 2023) revealed that between January 2023 to July 2023, the department received 2,202 alarm calls for service with 97% of the calls determined to be false alarms (no crimes committed).
The studies also revealed that the average monthly time officers spent on alarm calls was steadily increasing from 103 hours a month in 2020 to 153 hours a month in 2023 (as of July 2023). Of the 153 hours per month in 2023, 97% (or 148.41 hours) were spent on false alarms.
By prioritizing verified alarms, the department can reduce false alarm responses and allocate officers more efficiently. This approach aims to enhance public safety and ensure that the department’s resources are utilized where they are most needed.
Attached hereto is the Alarm Ordinance of the City of Fontana, CA. The Department is proposing amending Chapter 7.81 - Security Alarm Systems of the Vallejo Municipal Code to be in line with the attached City of Fontana Ordinance. The City of Fontana ordinance provides that with the exception of Robbery Alarms, Panic
Date: February 13, 2024
Subject: CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION RELATING TO AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 7.81- SECURITY ALARM SYSTEMS OF THE CITY OF VALLEJO
MUNICIPAL CODE
Alarms and medic alarms, the Police Department will only respond to a "Verified Alarm" as defined by the ordinance.
Section 22-117 of the Fontana Ordinance provides that:
1. "Verified alarm" means an alarm which a responder has verified that a crime, attempted crime, or other emergency occurring at the premises protected by the alarm is occurring or about to occur. Verification maybe by:(1) At-the-site verification,
2. Through the use of a remote audio or video system monitored by an alarm company operator,
3. For a commercial alarm system, separate alarm activations monitored by an alarm company operator from the same premises within a ten minute period, are triggered from separate devices, and must be two distinct activations,
4. For a residential alarm system, two separate alarm activations monitored by an alarm company operator from the same premises within a ten minute period, which activations are triggered from the same or different motion sensors, and
5. Any other form of verification as may from time to time be adopted as policy by the police department and published on its website.
Verification by methods (3) and (4) above will constitute verification only if there are no more than three such verifications in any six-month period of time as to the same premises, unless the alarm company operator forwarding such activations to the police department is able to demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of the police department that the verification(s) by method (3) or (4) was the result of an actual or attempted burglary.
"Robbery alarm and panic alarm" mean any system, device, or mechanism, manually activated by an individual on or near the premises, to alert others that a robbery or any other crime is in progress, or that the user is in need of immediate assistance or aid in order to avoid injury or serious bodily harm, which meets the following criteria:
1. The system is installed on real property (the "protected premises");
2. It is designed to be manually activated by an individual for the purpose of summoning assistance to the premises;
3. It transmits a telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message or emits an audible, visible, or electronic signal that can be heard, seen, or received by persons outside the protected premises.
Section 22-119 of the Fontana Code provides that:
(a) The police department will not respond to property alarms, intrusion alarms or burglary alarms unless they are verified alarms as defined by this article. In reporting such an alarm to the police department, an alarm company operator must confirm that the alarm is a verified alarm. In the first instance, it shall be presumed that an alarm company operator who reports an alarm as an verified alarm has actually verified that alarm. Even if an alarm is verified, exigent circumstances may arise that prevent the police department from responding to verified alarm activations due to the availability of resources. The police department is under no legal duty or obligation whatsoever to respond to any property alarm, intrusion alarm or burglary alarm activation and may respond, in its discretion, as police resources allow and as police department supervision and management deem appropriate.
Date: February 13, 2024
Subject: CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION RELATING TO AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 7.81- SECURITY ALARM SYSTEMS OF THE CITY OF VALLEJO
MUNICIPAL CODE
(b) An alarm company operator who reports a verified burglary alarm to the police department is required to maintain the evidence it used to verify that the burglary alarm activation, or a written report thereof, for not less than 12 months from the date of the alarm activation, except as to recordings of remote audio or video surveillance, which must be maintained for not less than 60 days. Because the police department will accept the alarm company operator's representation in the first instance that it verified the alarm before reporting it to the police department as a verified alarm, the police department shall have the right to audit the alarm company operator to ensure that the alarm company operator is not misrepresenting that fact to the police department. If the police department has probable cause to believe that an alarm company operator has misrepresented an unverified alarm to be a verified burglary alarm, it may send the alarm company operator written notice of the date and time of the reported verified burglary alarm and request the alarm company operator produce to the police department the evidence and/or report substantiating the verification of that burglary alarm activation. The alarm company operator shall produce the requested items to the police department within 14 days of them mailing of notice. Should the alarm company operator fail to maintain the evidence and/or report for the specified period of time or fail to produce the requested items to the police department, the alarm company operator will not be entitled to the presumption set forth in Section 22-119(a).Should the alarm company operator intentionally destroy, fail to maintain for the time period specified above, or discard the evidence and/or report, or intentionally fail to produce the requested items to the police department that have been maintained and do exist, then and in that event the alarm company operator shall be presumed to have made a fraudulent verification. Such presumption may be overcome by the alarm company operator producing evidence that, in requesting a police response to the burglary alarm in issue, it did not know that the alarm was unverified.
(c) Police department response to robbery alarms, panic alarms and medic alarms does not require a prior verified response. Exigent circumstances may arise, however, that prevent the police department from responding to robbery, panic, and medic alarm activations due to the availability of resources. The police department is under no legal duty or obligation whatsoever to respond to any robbery alarm, panic alarm or medic alarm activation and may respond, in its discretion, as police resources allow and as police department supervision and management deem appropriate.
Council is being asked to review the general provisions of the Fontana ordinance and provide direction to staff.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate financial impact associated with this item. Any potential impact will be brought back to the City Council with related costs.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Alarm Calls for Service Review - Revised August 2023
2. Fontana CA Alarm Ordinance
CONTACT
Jason Ta, Interim Chief of Police (707) 648-4590
[email protected]
Date: February 13, 2024
Subject: CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE DIRECTION RELATING TO AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 7.81- SECURITY ALARM SYSTEMS OF THE CITY OF VALLEJO
MUNICIPAL CODE
Vallejo Police Department
Alarm Calls for Service Review
August 2023
Table of Contents
OVERVIEW….………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………....1 Summary.………………………………….…………………….………………………………………….……………………..1 Objectives of Review.….……..…………………….…………………………….……………………….………………….1 Data Collected and Methodology …….…………………………………….………………………………………….1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………….2 ARRESTS AND REPORTS FILED PERCENTAGES ……………………………………………………………………………3 FINDINGS OF REVIEW…………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………….4 Review of 2023 Alarm Calls for Service ………………………………..…………………………………………….4 2023 YTD Cost of Officer Response ……………………………………..…………………………………………….5 Review of 2022 Alarm Calls for Service ………………………………..…………………………………………….6 2022 Cost of Officer Response ………………………………………………………………..…………………………7 Review of 2021 Alarm Calls for Service ………………………………………………………..…………………..8 2021 Cost of Officer Response …………………………………………….…………………………………………….9 Review of 2020 Alarm Calls for Service …………………………………………………………….………………10 2020 Cost of Officer Response ………………………………….………………………………………………………11 CITY OF VALLEJO FALSE ALARM PROGRAM ……………………………………………………….……………………12 FALSE ALARM BILLING .……………………………………………………..…………………………………………………….13 REVIEW OF OBJECTIVES……….………………………………………………………….………………………………….14-17
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 1
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Overview
SUMMARY:
The purpose of this review was to examine the calls for service for alarm triggers within the City of Vallejo reported to the Police Department and determine the outcome of those calls for service.
OBJECTIVES OF REVIEW:
1. Determine the amount of false / unfounded alarm calls and the criminal cases that resulted from an alarm trigger call for service.
2. Determine the cost of officer response to alarm trigger calls for service.
3. Determine the average amount of daily alarm trigger calls for service for the years 2023 YTD, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
DATA COLLECTED & METHODOLOGY:
The source of the data used to examine the alarm calls for service records was the Vallejo Police Departments Records Management System and the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) records within the Records Management System.
The monetary recovery amounts via fees from the City of Vallejo’s third-party false alarm vendor PMAM were collected for the fiscal years of July 2021 – June 2022 and July 2020 – June 2021.
The alarm calls for service records collected were from the years 2023 YTD, 2022, 2021 and 2020. Alarm calls for service records with the dispositions of “Duplicate Call” or “Cancelled by Reporting Party/Dispatch” were excluded from this examination.
A ‘False Alarm’ disposition is determined for any alarm call for service where a trigger was accidental, no evidence of a break in/burglary was determined after officers contacted the caller or reporting party, or the caller was not located/gone on the officer(s) arrival and no contact was made with the caller or reporting party.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 2
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Executive Summary
Conclusions:
1. Between 2020 through 2022, 98% of all alarm trigger calls for service were false alarms.
2. Between 2020 through 2022, the Vallejo Police Department responded to 10,509 alarm trigger calls for service.
3. Of the 10,509 alarm trigger calls for service, 200 resulted in a criminal case/report being filed, which was 2% of all alarm calls for service.
4. Between 2020 through 2022, 30 arrests were made from an alarm trigger call for service, which was 0.3% of all alarm calls for service.
5. Each examined year consistently had similar rates of false alarms and criminal cases filed.
6. The average cost of Officer response to alarm calls for the years 2022, 2021 and 2020 was $68,931.89.
7. For the years of 2022, 2021 and 2020, the daily average of alarm calls for service received was 9.7, and the monthly average was 286.
8. In 2023 YTD, from January through July, the Vallejo Police Department received 2,202 alarm trigger calls for service, 97% were false alarms.
9. Of the 2,202 calls for service, 72 cases resulted in a criminal case/report being filed, which was 3% of all alarm calls for service.
10. In 2023 YTD, from January through July, there were 5 arrests made stemming from an alarm call for service, which was 0.2% of all the alarm calls for service.
11. For 2023 YTD, the daily average for alarm trigger calls for service was 10.4, the monthly average was 313.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 3
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Arrests and Reports Filed Percentages
0.3%
99.7%
Arrest Percentage of Alarm CFS:
2020 - 2022
Arrests Alarm Calls for Service
2%
98%
Report Filing Percentage of Alarm
CFS: 2020 - 2022
Criminal Cases / Reports Alarm Calls for Service
*CFS: Calls for Service
0.23%
99.77%
Arrest Percentage of Alarm CFS:
2023 YTD
Arrests Alarm Calls for Service
3%
97%
Report Filing Percentage of Alarm CFS:
2023 YTD
Criminal / Case Reports Alarm Calls for Service
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 4
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Findings of Review
Review of the 2023 Alarm Calls for Service (CFS):
In 2023, from January through July, the Vallejo Police Department received 2,202 alarm trigger calls for service.
97% of all alarm trigger calls for service were false alarms. 3% of the alarm calls for service ended with a criminal report or citation being filed. 72 cases were filed from an alarm trigger and resulted in 5 arrests which was 0.2% of all the alarm calls for 2023.
The daily average for alarm trigger calls for service was 10.4, the monthly average was 313. *The highest amount of call types received by the Police Department in 2023 were alarm triggers.
Dispositions of Alarm Calls for Service (CFS) Top Calls for Service Types:
97%
3%
Percentages of Alarm
Dispositions
False Alarms Criminal Case / Report
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 2130
Criminal Case / Report 72
Grand Total 2,202
Top CFS Types of 2023
Call Type Amount
Alarm 2,125
Disturbance – Verbal Fight 1,309
Welfare Check 1,286
Suspicious Circumstances 986
Stolen Vehicles 744
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 5
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Cost of Officer Response to Alarm Calls and Average Response Times The cost of the officer response time was calculated by using the base pay of a Patrol Officer at the top step, Hourly: $53.959 / Bi-weekly: $4,316.72.
The averages for response, on-scene and en route times were calculated from the 2,202 alarm calls for service.
Response Time – Response time is the time the call was received, to when the officer arrived on scene.
On-Scene Time – On–scene time is the time from an officer’s arrival on-scene, to when the call was cleared by the officer.
En route Time – En route time is the time from when the officer was dispatched, to the arrival time on-scene.
*Source: VPOA Salary Schedule FY22-23; Effective July 4, 2020 En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 13.14 16.26 29.40
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost
Per Call $11.83 $14.63 $26.46
Alarm Calls for Service 2,202 2,202 2,202
Estimated Annual
Officer Cost $26,049.66 $32,215.26 $58,264.92
2023
TOTAL ALARM CFS 2,202
AVERAGE RESP TIME 2:59:11
AVERAGE ON-SCENE TIME 0:16:26
AVERAGE EN ROUTE TIME 0:13:14
The above officer cost calculations only represent the cost of a single officer. Alarm triggers are a multiple officer response call type, where at least two officers should be dispatched to the scene.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 6
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of the 2022 Alarm Calls for Service (CFS):
In 2022, the Vallejo Police Department received 3,627 alarm trigger calls for service. 98% of all alarm trigger calls for service were false alarms. 2% of the alarm calls for service ended with a criminal report or citation being filed. 78 cases were filed from an alarm trigger and resulted in 4 arrests which was 0.1% of all the alarm calls for 2022.
The daily average for alarm trigger calls for service was 10.0, the monthly average was 300. *The highest amount of call types received by the Police Department in 2022 were alarm triggers.
Dispositions of Alarm Calls for Service (CFS) Top Calls for Service Types:
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 3,549
Criminal Case / Report 78
TOTAL 3,627
98%
2%
Percentages of Alarm Dispositions
False Alarms Criminal Case / Report
Top CFS Types of 2022
Call Type Amount
Alarm Calls 3,627
Verbal Fight/Dispute 2,065
Welfare Check 1,969
Susp Circumstances 1,553
Reckless Driver 1,488
*The count of the highest amount of call types excluded the call type “W911”. This call type is a 9-1-1 hang-up where a caller has dialed 9-1-1 and hung up before a dispatcher speaks to the caller, the dispatcher then calls the subject back.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 7
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Cost of Officer Response to Alarm Calls and Average Response Times The cost of the officer response time was calculated by using the base pay of a Patrol Officer at the top step, Hourly: $53.959 / Bi-weekly: $4,316.72.
The averages for response, on-scene and en route times were calculated from the 3,627 alarm calls for service.
Response Time – Response time is the time the call was received, to when the officer arrived on scene.
On-Scene Time – On–scene time is the time from an officer’s arrival on-scene, to when the call was cleared by the officer.
En route Time – En route time is the time from when the officer was dispatched, to the arrival time on-scene.
*Source: VPOA Salary Schedule FY22-23; Effective July 4, 20
En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 9.50 13.52 23.02
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost
Per Call $8.55 $12.17 $20.72
Alarm Calls for Service 3,627 3,627 3,627
Estimated Annual
Officer Cost $31,010.85 $44,140.59 $75,151.44
2022
TOTAL ALARM CFS 3,627
AVERAGE RESP TIME 1:41:49
AVERAGE ON-SCENE TIME 0:13:52
AVERGE EN ROUTE TIME 0:09:50
The above officer cost calculations only represent the cost of a single officer. Alarm triggers are a multiple officer response call type, where at least two officers should be dispatched to the scene.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 8
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of the 2021 Alarm Calls for Service (CFS):
In 2021, the Vallejo Police Department received 3,296 alarm trigger calls for service. 98% of all alarm trigger calls for service were false alarms. 2% of the alarm calls for service ended with a criminal report or citation being filed. 59 cases were filed from an alarm trigger and resulted in 10 arrests which was 0.3% of all the alarm calls for 2021.
The daily average for alarm trigger calls for service was 9.1, the monthly average was 272. *The highest amount of call types received by the Police Department in 2021 were alarm triggers.
Dispositions of Alarm Calls for Service (CFS) Top Calls for Service Types:
98%
2%
Percentage of Alarm Dispositions
False Alarms
Criminal Case / Report
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 3,237
Criminal Case / Report 59
TOTAL 3,296
Top CFS Types of 2021
Call Type Amount
Alarm Calls 3,296
Verbal Fight/Dispute 2,349
Welfare Check 1,890
Susp Circumstances 1,787
Mental Health 1,492
*The count of the highest amount of call types excluded the call type “W911”. This call type is a 9-1-1 hang-up where a caller has dialed 9-1-1 and hung up before a dispatcher speaks to the caller, the dispatcher then calls the subject back.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 9
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Cost of Officer Response to Alarm Calls and Average Response Times The cost of the officer response time was calculated by using the base pay of a Patrol Officer at the top step, Hourly: $53.959 / Bi-weekly: $4,316.72.
The averages for response, on-scene and en route times were calculated from the 3,296 alarm calls for service. The error rate for these calculations is 5%.
Response Time – Response time is the time the call was received, to when the officer arrived on scene.
On-Scene Time – On–scene time is the time from an officer’s arrival on-scene, to when the call was cleared by the officer.
En route Time – En route time is the time from when the officer was dispatched, to the arrival time on-scene.
*Source: VPOA Salary Schedule FY22-23; July 4, 2020
En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 8.36 13.35 21.71
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost
Per Call $7.52 $12.01 $19.53
Alarm Calls for Service 3,296 3,296 3,296
Estimated Annual
Officer Cost $24,785.92 $39,584.96 $64,370.88
2021
TOTAL ALARM CFS 3,296
AVERAGE RESP TIME 1:10:49
AVERAGE ON-SCENE TIME 0:13:35
AVERGE EN ROUTE TIME 0:08:36
The above officer cost calculations only represent the cost of a single officer. Alarm triggers are a multiple officer response call type, where at least two officers should be dispatched to the scene.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 10
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of the 2020 Alarm Calls for Service (CFS):
In 2020, the Vallejo Police Department received 3,586 alarm trigger calls for service. 98% of all alarm trigger calls for service were false alarms. 2% of the alarm calls for service ended with a criminal report or citation being filed. 63 cases were filed from an alarm trigger and resulted in 16 arrests which was 0.4% of all the alarm calls for 2020.
The daily average for alarm trigger calls for service was 9.9, the monthly average was 296. *The highest amount of call types received by the Police Department in 2020 were alarm triggers.
Dispositions of Alarm Calls for Service (CFS) Top Calls for Service Types:
98%
2%
Percentage of Alarm Dispositions
False Alarms
Criminal Case / Report
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 3,523
Criminal Case / Report 63
TOTAL 3,586
Top CFS Types of 2020
Call Type Amount
Alarm Calls 3,586
Verbal Fight/Dispute 2,693
Welfare Check 2,028
Susp Circumstances 1,969
Mental Health 1,737
*The count of the highest amount of call types excluded the call type “W911”. This call type is a 9-1-1 hang-up where a caller has dialed 9-1-1 and hung up before a dispatcher speaks to the caller, the dispatcher then calls the subject back.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 11
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Cost of Officer Response to Alarm Calls and Average Response Times The cost of the officer response time was calculated by using the base pay of a Patrol Officer at the top step, Hourly: $53.959 / Bi-weekly: $4,316.72.
The averages for response, on-scene and en route times were calculated from the 3,586 alarm calls for service. The error rate for these calculations is 5%.
Response Time – Response time is the time the call was received, to when the officer arrived on scene.
On-Scene Time – On–scene time is the time from an officer’s arrival on-scene, to when the call was cleared by the officer.
En route Time – En route time is the time from when the officer was dispatched, to the arrival time on-scene.
*Source: VPOA Salary Schedule FY22-23; July 4, 2020
En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 8.38 12.47 20.85
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost
Per Call $7.54 $11.22 $18.76
Alarm Calls for Service 3,586 3,586 3,586
Estimated Annual
Officer Cost $27,038.44 $40,234.92 $67,273.36
2020
TOTAL ALARM CFS 3,586
AVERAGE RESP TIME 0:57:01
AVERAGE ON-SCENE TIME 0:12:47
AVERGE EN ROUTE TIME 0:08:38
The above officer cost calculations only represent the cost of a single officer. Alarm triggers are a multiple officer response call type, where at least two officers should be dispatched to the scene.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 12
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
City of Vallejo False Alarm Program
Chapter 7.81 The City of Vallejo’s Code of Ordinances defines a False Alarm as “any activation of an alarm not caused by or because of a criminal act or unauthorized entry.” The below information was taken from the City of Vallejo’s section of the Alarm Permit website:
City of Vallejo, CA Code of Ordinances - Chapter 7.81 Security Alarm Systems
The city of Vallejo, CA adopted the false alarm ordinance concerning the regulation of alarm systems and police response to false alarms within the city.
Definitions:
"Alarm system" means any mechanical or electrical device designed to emit a sound or generate a signal or message during the commission of an unlawful act in or an unauthorized entry into a building, structure or facility. The following devices should not constitute an alarm system:
• Alarm devices affixed to motor vehicles.
• Alarm device installed on temporary basis by the Vallejo police department. • Hand-held portable personal safety devices not connected to central monitoring system or station
"False Alarm" means any activation of an alarm not caused by or because of a criminal act or unauthorized entry.
False Alarm Fine:
*Source: https://www.cityalarmpermit.us/Pages/CustomPage.html?CityID=104&ScreenName=Important%20Information
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
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Review of Alarm Calls for Service
False Alarm Billing
The City of Vallejo contracts a third-party vendor, PMAM, for false alarm billing.
The below figures are the total amount of fees collected by PMAM for the current fiscal to year date, fiscal years of July 2021 – June 2022 and July 2020 – June 2021:
*Fiscal Year to Date: $62,319
July 2021 - June 2022: $57,607
July 2020 – June 2021: $97,694
The previous three-year average of Officer response to alarm calls was $68,931.89.
Of the alarm calls for service received in the previous three years, 98% of all alarm calls received were false alarms, and the remaining 2% resulted in the filing of a criminal case/report.
*Funds recovery source: Finance Department, Vallejo PD
2%
98%
ALARM CALLS FOR SERVICE DISPOSITION PERCENTAGES:
2020 - 2022
Criminal Cases / Reports
False Alarms
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 14
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of Objectives
1. Determine the amount of false / unfounded alarm calls and the criminal cases that resulted from an alarm trigger call for service.
Below are the dispositions of alarm calls for service (CFS) for the years 2023 YTD, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
Of the 10,509 alarm calls for service received from 2020 – 2022, 98% of all alarm calls for service received were false alarms and 2% resulted in a criminal report being filed that led to 30 arrests.
In 2023, from January through July, the Vallejo Police Department received 2,202 alarm calls for service, 97% were false alarms, and 3% resulted in a criminal report being filed and led to 5 arrests.
2022
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 3,549
Criminal Case / Report 78
TOTAL 3,627
2021
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 3,237
Criminal Case / Report 59
TOTAL 3,296
2020
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 3,523
Criminal Case / Report 63
TOTAL 3,586
2023 YTD
Dispositions of Alarm CFS
Disposition Amount
False Alarms 2130
Criminal Case / Report 72
Total 2,202
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 15
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of Objectives (continued):
2. Determine the cost of officer response to alarm trigger calls for service.
The cost of Officer response to alarm calls for 2023 YTD, Jan – July, was $58,264.92.
The average cost of Officer response to alarm calls for the years 2022, 2021 and 2020 was $68,931.89. The individual years are listed below.
2022 En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 9.50 13.52 23.02
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost Per Call $8.55 $12.17 $20.72
Alarm Calls for Service 3,627 3,627 3,627
Estimated Annual Officer Cost $31,010.85 $44,140.59 $75,151.44
2023 YTD En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 13.14 16.26 29.40
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost Per Call $11.83 $14.63 $26.46
Alarm Calls for Service 2,202 2,202 2,202
Estimated Annual Officer Cost $26,049.66 $32,215.26 $58,264.92
The above officer cost calculations only represent the cost of a single officer. Alarm triggers are a multiple officer response call type, where at least two officers should be dispatched to the scene.
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 16
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of Objectives (continued):
The above officer cost calculations only represent the cost of a single officer. Alarm triggers are a multiple officer response call type, where at least two officers should be dispatched to the scene. 2021 En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 8.36 13.35 21.71
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost Per Call $7.52 $12.01 $19.53
Alarm Calls for Service 3,296 3,296 3,296
Estimated Annual Officer Cost $24,785.92 $39,584.96 $64,370.88
2020 En route On-scene Total
Average Minutes 8.38 12.47 20.85
Officer Cost Per Minute $0.90 $0.90 $0.90
Average Officer Cost Per Call $7.54 $11.22 $18.76
Alarm Calls for Service 3,586 3,586 3,586
Estimated Annual Officer Cost $27,038.44 $40,234.92 $67,273.36
Crime Analysis Unit
Vallejo Police Department
111 Amador Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
(707) 648-4321
VALLEJO POLICE DEPARTMENT
DETECTIVE DIVISION
111 AMADOR STREET
VALLEJO, CA 94590
(707) 648-4524
August 25, 2023
Page | 17
Review of Alarm Calls for Service
Review of Objectives (continued):
3. Determine the average amount of daily alarm trigger calls for service for the years 2023 YTD, 2022, 2021 and 2020.
For the 2023, from January to July, the daily average of alarm calls for service received was 10.4, and the monthly average was 313.
For the years of 2022, 2021 and 2020, the daily average of alarm calls for service received was 9.7, and the monthly average was 286.
The individual years are listed below:
2023 YTD 2022 2021 2020
Daily Average Alarm CFS 10.4 10 9.1 9.9
Monthly Average Alarm CFS 313 300 272 296
Avg. Total Officer Time Spent on
Each Alarm CFS (Minutes) 29.4 23.02 21.71 20.85
Avg. Officer Time Spent Daily on
Alarm CFS (Minutes - Rounded) 306 230 198 206
Avg. Officer Time Spent Monthly
on Alarm CFS (Hours - Rounded) 153 115 99 103
2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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ARTICLE IV. - BURGLARY, ROBBERY, AND PANIC ALARMS (VERIFIED BURGLARY AND FRAUDULENT VERIFIED
BURGLARY ALARMS)
Footnotes:
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Editor's note— Ord. No. 1624, § 1, adopted September 22, 2010, amended article IV in its entirety to read as herein set out. Formerly, article IV pertained to false alarms, and derived from the Ord. No. 1580, § 1, adopted Sept. 9, 2008.
Cross reference— Licenses, permits and business regulations, ch. 15.
Sec. 22-116. - Short title and purpose.
This article shall be known as the burglary alarm ordinance and may be cited as such. The purpose of the burglary alarm ordinance is to regulate alarm system users, alarm systems, and alarm company operators so that scarce police resources can be deployed in the best manner possible by responding only to burglary alarms if they are verified, as provided for herein, thereby reducing the amount of police resources consumed in responding to unverified burglary alarms, and in order to minimize the occurrence of fraudulent verification of burglary alarm activations within the City of Fontana. This article supersedes and completely replaces existing Ordinance 1580.
A violation of any provision of this article, except for the commission of five or fewer prohibited calls in a 12-month period, shall be deemed an infraction or a misdemeanor, in the city attorney's discretion, and shall be punished as provided in Section 1-7 of the Fontana Municipal Code. Each day, or portion thereof, during which the violation of any provision of this article is maintained or continued shall be deemed a separate and distinct violation. A violation of any provision of this article, except for the commission of five or fewer prohibited calls in a 12-month period, shall constitute a nuisance.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-117. - De nitions.
Unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires, terms defined herein shall have the following meanings when used in this chapter:
Alarm system or alarm device means any system, device, or mechanism which, when activated, transmits a telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message to an alarm company operator, or some other number, or emits an audible or visible signal that can be heard or seen by persons outside the protected premises or transmits a signal beyond the premises in some other fashion, except any system, device, or mechanism primarily protecting a motor vehicle or a medical alert alarm. An alarm system or alarm device may consist of one or more components (e.g., motion detector, window breach detector, or 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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similar components) all reporting to a central unit/system panel which, in turn, is connected to or reports to an alarm company operator via telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message. Non- monitored alarm systems are also included in this definition.
Alarm business permit means the type of business license required of an alarm company operator, as specified in section 22-120 of this article.
Alarm company operator means any person, individual, partnership, corporation, or other form of association that engages in business or accepts employment to install, maintain, alter, sell on premises, monitor, or service intrusion, property, burglary, robbery, panic alarms, or other "alarm systems" located in the City of Fontana. This includes alarm company operators that are located outside the city limits of Fontana and which monitor alarms installed within the city limits of Fontana. Neither the City of Fontana nor the police department is an alarm company operator.
Alarm system user means the person having or maintaining a property, intrusion, burglary, robbery, panic, or other alarm system.
Burglary alarm. See "Property alarm."
CAC Act means the California Alarm Company Act, Business & Professions Code §§ 7590, et seq.
Chief of police means the Chief of the Fontana Police Department, or his or her designee.
Department shall mean the Finance and Administrative Services Department of the City of Fontana.
Director shall mean the management services director, or his or her designee.
Fraudulent verification means the reporting of a burglary alarm to the police department, for the purpose of obtaining a police response to the alarm, knowing that the alarm is not a verified alarm.
Fire alarm means a signal initiated by a device such as a manual fire alarm box, automatic fire detector, waterflow switch, smoke detector, or other device which, when activated, is indicative of the presence of a fire or fire signature. Fire alarms shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
Intrusion alarm. See "Property alarm."
Monitored alarm system means any system, device, or mechanism which, when activated, transmits a telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message or communication to a private monitoring company, other number, or person who can then notify police that an alarm has been activated. This includes all systems, which transmit telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message from an alarm installed within the city limits of Fontana to any location outside of Fontana (e.g., an alarm monitoring center located in a state other than California). All alarms that are monitored, except fire alarms, are included within the definition of "monitored alarm system"; e.g., any monitored burglary, intrusion, panic, premises, property, robbery, or other type of alarm device. 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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Non-monitored alarm system means any alarm system that emits an audible or visible signal that can be heard or seen by persons outside the protected premises but which is not monitored by an alarm company operator.
Panic alarm. See "Robbery alarm."
Person means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust, incorporated or unincorporated entity, or other entity or group of persons, but excludes the United States, the State of California, and any political subdivision or municipal corporation thereof.
Police department or police means the Fontana Police Department, and includes other law enforcement agencies assisting the Fontana Police Department.
Premises or protected premises means any area and any portion of any area protected by an alarm system.
Prohibited call means a call to police dispatch by an alarm company operator employee or agent requesting police response to a property alarm, intrusion alarm, or burglary alarm activation that is not verified, whether canceled after the initial call or not.
Property alarm, intrusion alarm, and burglary alarm mean any system, device, or mechanism for detection and reporting of any unauthorized entry or attempted entry or property damage upon real property protected by the system which may be activated by sensors and, when activated, transmits a telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message, or emits an audible or visible signal that can be heard or seen by persons outside the protected premises, or transmits a signal beyond the protected premises. For purposes of this article, alarms on automatic teller machines (ATMs) are included in this definition.
Responder means a private guard, alarm company guard, private entity, or person contacted by an alarm company operator, or any other person, who verifies that there is evidence of intrusion, commission of an unlawful act, or emergency on the premises that would warrant a call for police assistance or investigation for a property, intrusion, or burglary alarm. Responders for alarm company operators requesting police response will notify the police dispatcher what alarm company operator requested them to respond.
Responders will meet police at the premises, unless the responder verified the burglary alarm by other than at-the-site verification.
Robbery alarm and panic alarm mean any system, device, or mechanism, manually activated by an individual on or near the premises, to alert others that a robbery or any other crime is in progress, or that the user is in need of immediate assistance or aid in order to avoid injury or serious bodily harm, which meets the following criteria:
The system is installed on real property (the "protected premises"); 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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It is designed to be manually activated by an individual for the purpose of summoning assistance to the premises,
It transmits a telephonic, wireless, electronic, video, or other form of message or emits an audible, visible, or electronic signal that can be heard, seen, or received by persons outside the protected premises.
Verified alarm means an alarm which a responder has verified that a crime, attempted crime, or other emergency occurring at the premises protected by the alarm is occurring or about to occur. Verification may be by:
At-the-site verification,
Through the use of a remote audio or video system monitored by an alarm company operator,
For a commercial alarm system, separate alarm activations monitored by an alarm company operator from the same premises within a ten minute period, which activations are triggered from separate devices, and must be two distinct activations, For a residential alarm system, two separate alarm activations monitored by an alarm company operator from the same premises within a ten minute period, which activations are triggered from the same or different motion sensors, and Any other form of verification as may from time to time be adopted as policy by the police department and published on its website.
Verification by methods (3) and (4) above will constitute verification only if there are no more than three such verifications in any six-month period of time as to the same premises, unless the alarm company operator forwarding such activations to the police department is able to demonstrate to the reasonable satisfaction of the police department that the verification(s) by method (3) or (4) was the result of an actual or attempted burglary.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-118. - Certain devices, systems, uses prohibited.
No person shall operate or use an alarm system that emits an audible sound where such emission does not automatically cease within ten minutes.
No person shall operate or use an alarm system, which automatically dials the Fontana Police Department directly and delivers a prerecorded message. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-119. - Veri ed response required.
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The police department will not respond to property alarms, intrusion alarms or burglary alarms unless they are verified alarms as defined by this article. In reporting such an alarm to the police department, an alarm company operator must confirm that the alarm is a verified alarm. In the first instance, it shall be presumed that an alarm company operator who reports an alarm as a verified alarm has actually verified that alarm. Even if an alarm is verified, exigent circumstances may arise that prevent the police department from responding to verified alarm activations due to the availability of resources. The police department is under no legal duty or obligation whatsoever to respond to any property alarm, intrusion alarm or burglary alarm activation and may respond, in its discretion, as police resources allow and as police department supervision and management deem appropriate.
An alarm company operator who reports a verified burglary alarm to the police department is required to maintain the evidence it used to verify that the burglary alarm activation, or a written report thereof, for not less than 12 months from the date of the alarm activation, except as to recordings of remote audio or video surveillance, which must be maintained for not less than 60 days. Because the police department will accept the alarm company operator's representation in the first instance that it verified the alarm before reporting it to the police department as a verified alarm, the police department shall have the right to audit the alarm company operator to ensure that the alarm company operator is not misrepresenting that fact to the police department. If the police department has probable cause to believe that an alarm company operator has misrepresented an unverified alarm to be a verified burglary alarm, it may send the alarm company operator written notice of the date and time of the reported verified burglary alarm and request the alarm company operator produce to the police department the evidence and/or report substantiating the verification of that burglary alarm activation. The alarm company operator shall produce the requested items to the police department within 14 days of the mailing of notice. Should the alarm company operator fail to maintain the evidence and/or report for the specified period of time or fail to produce the requested items to the police department, the alarm company operator will not be entitled to the presumption set forth in section 22-119(a).
Should the alarm company operator intentionally destroy, fail to maintain for the time period specified above, or discard the evidence and/or report, or intentionally fail to produce the requested items to the police department that have been maintained and do exist, then and in that event the alarm company operator shall be presumed to have made a fraudulent verification. Such presumption may be overcome by the alarm company operator producing evidence that in requesting a police response to the burglary alarm in issue, it did not know that the alarm was unverified.
Police department response to robbery alarms, panic alarms and medic alarms does not require a prior verified response. Exigent circumstances may arise, however that prevent the police department from responding to robbery, panic, and medic alarm activations due to the 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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availability of resources. The police department is under no legal duty or obligation whatsoever to respond to any robbery alarm, panic alarm or medic alarm activation and may respond, in its discretion, as police resources allow and as police department supervision and management deem appropriate. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-120. - Business license by way of an alarm business permit required.
Any alarm company operator is required to maintain a valid City of Fontana business license by way of a valid alarm business permit in order to install, maintain, alter, sell on premises, monitor, or service alarm systems within the City of Fontana.
Operation without a valid alarm business permit shall constitute an infraction or a misdemeanor in the city attorney's discretion, and shall be punished as provided in Fontana Municipal Code Section 1-7. Each day during which the violation is maintained or continued shall be deemed a separate violation. Operation without a valid alarm business permit is a nuisance and may also result in civil action against those companies continuing to operate without a valid City of Fontana business license by way of a valid alarm business permit.
A valid alarm business permit cannot be assigned, sold or transferred and may be revoked or suspended pursuant to section 22-124 of this article. Issuance of a valid alarm business permit does not create any property right in that permit.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-121. - Alarm business permit application and fee.
Any alarm company operator shall, as provided in Fontana's Municipal Code, apply to the police department for, obtain, pay a fee for a valid alarm business permit and renewals thereof. The fees for such an alarm business permit and renewals thereof shall be in an amount established by resolution of the city council. The application form for such an alarm business permit or renewal thereof shall be the same as the application form for a business license or renewal from the City of Fontana. An alarm company operator must list "alarm company operator" as the nature of the business on the application form, and a copy of their state-issued CAC Act identification card.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-122. - No business license and no new taxes.
Under this article an alarm company operator shall not be required to apply for, obtain, or pay a fee for a business license other than by way of an alarm business permit as set forth in sections 22-120 and 22-121 of this article. Under this article an alarm company operator whether located within or outside the City of Fontana, will not be subject to or required to pay any sales or revenue tax to the City of Fontana. 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-123. - Current information for alarm business permit.
To the extent the Fontana Municipal Code requires that a licensee with a business license from the City of Fontana provide updated information as to the business license, an alarm company operator shall provide such updated information to the police department for its alarm business permit. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-124. - Suspension and revocation of alarm business permit.
The chief of police may suspend or revoke, in his or her discretion, an alarm company operator's alarm business permit based upon any of the following grounds:
Any false or incomplete statement made on the application for the alarm business permit or renewal of same.
Programming of an automatic dialer to select any City of Fontana telephone line.
Failure to provide current information as required in section 22-123.
Failure of an alarm company operator employee to identify him/herself by operator number, company name, address and phone number at the request of a Fontana Police dispatcher as required in section 22-127.
Failure to remit payment of the alarm business permit application or renewal fee, or failure to remit payment of administrative fines or penalties in accordance with section 22-128.
The criminal conviction of an owner, principal, officer or operator of an alarm company operator for any felony whatsoever, or any misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude.
The suspension or revocation of the California license issued under the CAC Act.
Violation of this article.
The chief of police's decision to either suspend or revoke the alarm business permit shall be based upon the severity of the violation, including, but not limited to, consideration of the following factors:
The materiality and nature of any false or incomplete statement made on the alarm business permit application or alarm business permit renewal application; The number and severity of any prior instances of failure to comply with this article; The amount of fees, administrative fines or penalties owed and unpaid by the alarm company operator;
The nature of the criminal conviction of an owner, principal, officer or operator of an alarm company operator.
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If the chief of police determines that there is cause for the suspension or revocation of a permit, he shall mail a notice of suspension or revocation to the principal of the alarm company operator, as provided on the alarm business permit, stating that the suspension or revocation will be effective 30 days after the date of mailing, unless a notice of appeal is filed with the city clerk on or before the effective date.
Alarm company operators operating an alarm system after the alarm business permit has been suspended or revoked shall be guilty of an infraction or misdemeanor in the city attorney's discretion, and shall be punished as provided in Fontana Municipal Code Section 1-7. Each day during which the violation is maintained or continued shall be deemed a separate violation. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-125. - Appeals of suspension and/or revocation orders.
Any person aggrieved by the action of the chief of police in suspending or revoking an alarm business permit under this article may, within ten days after such action, appeal to the city by filing written notice with the city clerk. The deputy city manager of administration or his/her designee shall then conduct a hearing and make an independent and de novo review of the determination or decision of the chief of police in the matter appealed from and may approve, disapprove or modify such determination or decision. Such hearing shall be conducted no later than 30 days after the date of the filing of the appeal, unless both the chief of police and appellant agree in writing that the hearing officer may decide the matter at a later date, not to exceed 90 days from the date of the filing of the written notice of appeal with the city clerk. Unless in conflict with the provisions of this article, the provisions and procedures or appeal of administrative citations found in article XI, section 2-444 through 2-446, of the Fontana Municipal Code (addressing conduct of administrative hearings, administrative hearing officer and decisions, and judicial reviews) shall apply to appeals of orders suspending or revoking alarm business permits. If an appeal is timely filed, the suspension or revocation shall be stayed until the hearing officer issues the final decision on the appeal. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-126. - Reinstatement after suspension.
An alarm company operator whose alarm business permit has been suspended may have its alarm business permit reinstated upon proof, to the satisfaction of the chief of police, that the grounds for suspension no longer exist and upon payment of a reinstatement fee in an amount that shall be established by resolution of the city council.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-127. - Fraudulent veri cation and prohibited call administrative nes. 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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Fraudulent verification administrative fine. An alarm company operator shall pay to the City of Fontana, within 30 days of the invoice, an administrative fine for each fraudulent verification. The amount of the administrative fine shall be $200.00 per each fraudulent verification.
Prohibited call administrative fine. An alarm company operator shall pay to the City of Fontana, within 30 days of the invoice, an administrative fine for each prohibited call. The amount of the prohibited call administrative fine shall be $150.00 per prohibited call. However, such a citation shall be expunged if within 14 days of the date of the invoice the alarm company operator presents to the police department a call log or other evidence establishing that the alarm company operator made the call in question to a law enforcement agency other than the Fontana Police Department and the other agency transferred the call to the Fontana Police Department.
The failure of an alarm company operator employee to identify him/herself by operator number, company name, address and phone number at the request of a Fontana Police dispatcher may result in the suspension or revocation of the alarm company operator's alarm business permit.
The fraudulent verification and prohibited call administrative fines are cumulative and not exclusive, with the exception that the first five prohibited call administrative fines in a twelve- month period are cumulative and exclusive. The amount of the fraudulent verification and prohibited call administrative fines may be amended by resolution of the city council. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-128. - Penalties for failure to pay nes.
Payment of any administrative fine under this article is due within 30 days from the invoice date or within an extension of time granted by the director. If payment is received between one and 30 days after the date it became due, there shall be added to the amount a penalty of ten percent of the fines owing. If payment is later than 30 days after the date due, a penalty of 20 percent of the fines shall be assessed. If payment is not received within 60 days of the date due, then interest shall accrue on the unpaid fines and penalties at one percent per month until paid in full.
The permittee shall be notified by mail of the amount of any penalties so added or assessed, and the same shall become due and shall be paid within ten days from the date of such notice.
If any administrative fines or penalties remain unpaid after 60 days from the invoice date, the City of Fontana business license required to operate as an alarm company operator in the City of Fontana may be suspended or revoked.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-129. - Appeals of contested nes and penalties. 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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The manner of assessing administrative fines and penalties and methods to appeal such fines and penalties shall comply with all the procedures specified in article XI of chapter 2 of the Fontana Municipal Code, unless in conflict with the provisions of this article.
A separate written request for an administrative hearing must be filed for each administrative fine assessed and any associated penalties. Multiple administrative fines and penalties, even if assessed against the same alarm company operator or alarm system user, cannot be appealed on a single request for hearing. Such written request must be received by the city clerk not later than 14 calendar days from the date of the invoice. The timely appeal of a late-payment penalty under this article shall not revive a time-barred challenge to the underlying administrative fine.
Within ten days of the filing of a request for an administrative hearing, the city clerk shall give notice to the requesting party of the date, time and place of the hearing. The hearing shall be set on a date that is no less than ten days and no more than 60 days after the date of the notice.
A request for an administrative hearing must be accompanied by a deposit in the amount of the administrative fine and any associated penalties. A request for a hearing shall not be complete and shall not be accepted unless it is accompanied by the deposit required by this section. Should the requesting party prevail on appeal, said amount will be refunded within ten days of the date of decision.
The hearing officer on all appeals of administrative fines assessed pursuant to this article and any associated penalties shall be the deputy city manager of administration or his or her designee. A representative for the alarm company operator that has been assessed the fine and any associated penalty, or the alarm system user who has been assessed the fine and any associated penalty, must appear at the administrative hearing. The failure of the alarm company operator representative or alarm system user to appear at the administrative hearing shall constitute a waiver of the right to a hearing on the citation and any defenses to the citation that the alarm company operator or alarm system user may have had, and the alarm company operators or alarm system user's deposit shall be forfeited without further action. A failure to appear at the administrative hearing shall also constitute a failure to exhaust administrative remedies.
The remedies set forth in this article are non-exclusive and the city may seek any and all legal and equitable relief permitted by law in addition to those remedies set forth in this article. (Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-130. - Mailing of notices.
Any notice required by this article to be mailed shall be sent by ordinary mail, addressed to the address as reflected in the records of the director. Failure to receive such notice shall not relieve the obligation to pay any fee, interest, or penalty, nor shall such failure extend any time limit. It is the responsibility of the alarm company operator to inform the director in writing about a change in address. 2/2/24, 4:42 PM Fontana, CA Code of Ordinances
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(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-131. - No duty or obligation.
Nothing in this article imposes or creates any express or implied duties or obligations on the part of the city, its police department or any other governmental agency. Nothing in this article creates any express or implied duty or obligation for the police department to respond to an alarm activation of any sort, whether verified or not. Any and all liability or consequential damage resulting from the failure to respond to an alarm activation of any sort is hereby disclaimed and governmental immunity as provided by law is retained by the city.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
Sec. 22-132. - Powers of the chief of police.
The chief of police shall have broad discretion to promulgate, execute and enforce policies, procedures and directives as may in his discretion be necessary to implement the provisions of this article. Such powers shall include, but are not limited to, the power to promulgate, execute and enforce a policy regarding dispatch of officers to verified and unverified alarm activations that are not inconsistent with the provisions of this article.
(Ord. No. 1624, § 1, 9-22-10)
CONSENT CALENDAR 9.E.
DATE: February 13, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Stephanie Sifuentes, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A NEW SALARY FOR THE CITY MANAGER
POSITION TO BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON HIRING OF THE NEXT CITY MANAGER
FOR THE PURPOSES OF RECRUITING THE NEXT CITY MANAGER
RECOMMENDATION
The Human Resources Director recommends the adoption of a resolution approving a new salary for the City Manager, to be effective after the current City Manager's contract has ended, for the purposes of recruiting the next City Manager.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION
As we begin the search for our next City Manager, it is imperative that we have a competitive salary. The City Manager salary has not been studied in several years and the last time it was increased was in 2022 by less than 5%. A study was conducted by the recruitment firm who is managing the City Manager recruitment, utilizing surrounding jurisdictions of similar size and demographics, which determined that the recommended market median is an annual salary of $302,574.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The current City Manager has announced that he will retire at the end of his contract, which ends on April 18, 2024. The City has engaged a recruitment firm to manage the recruitment of the next City Manager. As part of the preliminary steps for the recruitment process, a review of the current salary for City Manager was conducted. That study was conducted utilizing surrounding jurisdictions of similar size and demographics, which is industry best practice and is consistent with Vallejo's past practice. The outcome of that study provided us with a recommended Market Median annual salary of $302,574.
It has been several years since a study has been conducted on the City Manager salary. When the current City Manager was appointed in April of 2022, the City Manager salary at the time was increased by just less than 5%. There have been no increases to the salary since that time. In order for us to recruit well-qualified candidates, it is imperative that we have a competitive salary. Therefore, the Human Resources Director recommends the adoption of a resolution to approve a new salary for the City Manager position, consistent with the market median recommended salary, effective April 19, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT
Any fiscal impact to FY 2023-2024 will be absorbed by the General Fund. The anticipated fiscal impact for FY 2024-2025 is $24,574 and will be budgeted for accordingly in future fiscal years.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
ATTACHMENTS
Date: February 13, 2024
Subject: ADOPT A RESOLUTION APPROVING A NEW SALARY FOR THE CITY MANAGER
POSITION TO BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON HIRING OF THE NEXT CITY
MANAGER FOR THE PURPOSES OF RECRUITING THE NEXT CITY MANAGER
1. Reso Changing Salary Schedule for City Manager CAO Stamp
2. Unrep - Contract - Draft 02-13-2024
CONTACT
Stephanie Sifuentes, Human Resources Director (707) 649-4852 [email protected]
Approved as to form:
By: for
Veronica Nebb, City Attorney
RESOLUTION NO. 24 - ___N.C.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF VALLEJO APPROVING A NEW
SALARY FOR THE POSITION OF CITY MANAGER AT RANGE CMG WITHIN THE
UNREPRESENTED SALARY SCHEDULE
WHEREAS, a salary range for the position was developed to ensure internal consistency with City positions requiring similar skills and a salary comparison was conducted evaluating similar positions in neighboring cities which are equivalent in size and demographics, consistent with Vallejo’s past practice;
WHEREAS, the following salary range, CMG, reflects the Market Median established through that study, also consistent with Vallejo’s past practice, and is appropriate for the City Manager position:
Range
CMG
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5
Hourly 145.47
Bi-weekly 11,637.46
Monthly 25,214.50
Annual 302,574.00
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Vallejo approves a new salary range for the City Manager classification as indicated above and directs staff to revise the salary schedule for the Unrepresented Salary Schedule accordingly, effective April 19, 2024.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Vallejo directs staff to revise the city’s current salary plan contained in Resolution 23-094, (the FY 2023-2024 Positions and Salaries Resolution) adopted concurrently with the FY2023-2024 Budget. Such an amendment shall be ratified by Council in the FY 24-25 Budget.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Vallejo at a regular meeting held on February 13, 2024, with the following vote:
AYES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
NOES:
__________________________________
ROBERT H. MCCONNELL, MAYOR
ATTEST:
_______________________________________
DAWN ABRAHAMSOM, CITY CLERK
Unrepresented - Contract
Entry Maximum
Grade Class Code Status Classification Title Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 CCG 8 Mayor Bi-weekly 903.85
Effective January 28, 2023 - Per Reso. 22-211 Annual 23,500.00 CCG 9 City Council members Bi-weekly 903.85
Effective January 28, 2023 - Per Reso. 22-211 Annual 23,500.00 N/A Mayor's Additional Compensation Bi-weekly 876.92
Annual 22,800.00
CAG 2 City Attorney Hourly 123.7981
(per First Amendment effective July 1, 2022) Bi-weekly 9,903.85 Monthly 21,458.33
Annual 257,500.00
CMG 1 City Manager Hourly 145.47
(effective April 19, 2024) Bi-weekly 11,637.46
Monthly 25,214.50
Annual 302,574.00
CITY OF VALLEJO