Public safety is our top priority. To ensure that police officers are available to deal with emergencies and crimes in progress, we need to reduce the time officers spend responding to false alarms.

Officers will always be deployed to panic, hold-up and distress alarms right away, as well as to any verified valid alarm activations. 

However, officers will no longer be dispatched to ‘one-hit’ alarm activations, where only one zone has been activated in a premise. Alarm companies are also required to conduct an enhanced call verification procedure, where they must attempt to contact at least two key holders before calling us.

Police may also not be dispatched to properties where:

• No alarm permit exists
• The permit is suspended
• The call is within 14 days of alarm installation
• The alarm company is not properly licensed
• A commercial premises is occupied during the regular business hours indicated on their alarm permit

A new false alarm penalty structure for repeated false alarms is outlined in the Alarm Services Bylaw to help prevent ongoing false alarms from the same home or business. The penalty structure holds permit holders and alarm companies more accountable for ensuring police are not being called unnecessarily.

False alarm penalties are charged to the licensed alarm company that requested police. 

A false alarm penalty can be disputed within six weeks of the date on the notice by emailing a request for review to alarmbylaw@calgarypolice.ca.

Once a request for review is received, you do not have to pay the penalty until the review is completed. We will respond to the request within 45 days.

You can pay a false alarm penalty online, by mail or in person.

If you have any questions about how we respond to alarms or false alarm penalties, please contact us: 

Alarm Permit Team
403-428-8336
alarmbylaw@calgarypolice.ca