Alarm Administration

​New User Registrations

Effective October 1, 2014, it is the responsibility of the Alarm User to register and annually renew their alarm system permit with the Alarm Administrator as set forth in Section 3.41.115.

1. Registration must be completed by the Alarm User within 5 business days of installation of the alarm system.
   
2. Registration will be completed online using the City of Wichita's billing vendor website. If no computer or internet access is available, the Alarm User should call (877) 888-1355 for assistance to register their permit.
   
3. If an Alarm User has multiple alarm systems, a permit is required for each alarm system even if the alarm systems are located at the same address.
   
4. A fee of $25.00 per alarm permit is required upon registration and annual renewal. However, if the alarm user has not had any false alarms during the previous 12-month registration period, the annual $25.00 permit fee shall be waived for the upcoming year.
   
5. Any change of address or ownership of the alarm system will require a new permit to be registered and will be subject to the $25.00 registration fee.
   
6. Permits expire 1 year from issuance. The Alarm Administrator will notify the Alarm User of the need to renew the alarm permit 30 calendar days prior to the expiration date.
   
7. Alarm systems designed only to signal the presence of medical emergencies are not required to be registered under Chapter 3.41.
   

False Alarm Fees and Penalties

Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, an Alarm User to which law enforcement or fire personnel are requested to respond to a false alarm, shall be charged a false alarm fee. Graduated false alarm fees will be based only on the same type of previous false alarm. No response fee shall be charged for the first false alarm, regardless of type, each registration year.

False alarms resulting from the following shall not be counted against the Alarm User and no response fee shall be charged:

1. When it is reasonable to assume the alarm was due to violent conditions of nature including an electrical storm which have been verified by the National Weather Service;
   
2. Cable, line or power failure which has been specifically verified by the appropriate utility company serving the alarm location;
   
3. For alarms where the communications center is notified within 4 minutes of receipt of notification of the alarm that emergency medical, fire or law enforcement personnel are not required;
   
4. For alarm resulting from valid situations requiring a response by law enforcement, fire or emergency medical personnel as verified by a report filed by such personnel;
   
5. For alarms received from a medical alarm system;
   
6. For alarms received from governmental building alarm systems.
   

If an alarm is received by the communications center from an alarm system which has not been registered or renewed as required in Section 3.41.115, an administrative penalty of $150.00 shall be assessed against the Alarm User for having failed to register or renew the alarm system within the City. Such penalty shall be in addition to the false alarm charges assessed to the alarm user.

Appeals

Should a disagreement arise over whether any particular false alarm fee or administrative penalty should be assessed, the Alarm User may appeal the alarm activation by submitting a letter of appeal within 30 calendar days of the original invoice date. A $10.00 appeal fee must be submitted for each false alarm being disputed. The appeal and required appeal fee(s) must be mailed to the Alarm Administrator's office. Failure to submit an appeal within 30 calendar days of notification shall consitute a waiver of the right to contest the assessment of the fees or penalties.

Appeals and the required $10 appeal fee must be mailed to:

Wichita Police Department
Attn: Alarm Administrator
455 N Main, 4th Floor
Wichita, KS 67202

A full copy of the appeal requirements is available by calling (877) 88-1355 or online.

Suspension of Response

All false alarm fees or administrative penalties are due and payable within 30 days from the original invoice date. If the fee is not paid within 60 days, a late fee of $10.00 will be assessed. If the fee remains unpaid at 90 days, an additional late fee of $10.00 will be assessed. If all fees remain unpaid at 120 days, the balance may be turned over for collections. The City Attorney is authorized to use any legal means to recover fees and administrative penalties assessed by this Chapter.

Response to an alarm system may be suspended if the location has more than 6 false alarms per registration year and/or fails to pay fees or penalties as set forth in this Chapter. Response may be reinstated if the alarm user:

1. Pays, or otherwise resolves to the satisfication of the Alarm Administrator, all fees and/or penalties; and
   
2. Submits a certification from an alarm company, properly licensed by the City of Wichita, stating that the alarm system has been inspected and repaired (if necessary), is in proper working order, and that the Alarm User has been re-trained on the proper use of the alarm system.
   

Alarm School

The City of Wichita offers a free online false alarm school for citizens who have had false alarms. The alarm school is located on the Crywolf billing website. If completed with a passing score, the alarm school allows the citizen to remove one false alarm fee assessed to their account. However, the class must be completed within sixty (60) calendar days of the original notification date, and can only be taken once per alarm registration year. Also, the passing score only removes the fee assessed - it will not remove the false alarm from your account. For more information regarding the alarm school, please call (877) 888-1355, Monday through Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm.