In an effort to reduce the number of false alarms requiring a police response, the Alarm Control detail conducted a survey in 2019 consulting with 15,000 Edmonton alarm permit holders on a proposed change to the Alarm Systems Bylaw.

Each year, the Edmonton Police Service receives more than 6,300 alarm calls for service, of which 98% are false alarms. When an alarm is activated, police officers first try to contact the home or business owners via phone to determine if the alarm is legitimate. If the owner cannot be reached, a police officer may be dispatched to the location.

Under the current Alarm Systems Bylaw, alarm permits have no expiry date. As a result, contact information for the permit holder and/or the associated key holders become out of date, making it difficult for police to reach a home or business owner to verify the emergency.

To address this issue, EPS is proposing:

• The alarm permit is renewed on an annual basis.
• The annual permit renewal fee is proposed to be $15

The new bylaw has not been passed and the items above are not in effect.