Purpose
San Diego Municipal Code § 33.3701
in effect§33.3701 Purpose
The Council encourages citizens to take proactive safeguards to protect life and property from harm, damage, or theft, and recognizes that alarm systems help achieve this goal. The Council further recognizes the vast majority of responses to alarm systems by law enforcement are false alarms. Most false alarms are the result of improper maintenance or careless use of an alarm system. Police officers responding to false alarms are not available to carry out other law enforcement duties. The Council finds that excessive false alarms unduly burden law enforcement resources. In the interest of using law enforcement resources most effectively and efficiently, the number of false alarms can and must be reduced. The purpose of this Division is to preserve public health, safety, and welfare by providing regulation over alarm systems. It is also the purpose of this Division to reduce annoyances associated with false alarms, to establish reasonable expectations of alarm businesses and alarm users, to encourage alarm users to maintain their alarm systems in good working condition and to use them properly, and to ensure that alarm users are held responsible for their alarm systems.
(“Purpose” added 5-5-2017 by O-20819 N.S.; effective 6-4-2017. Former Section 33.3701 “Definitions” renumbered to Section 33.3702.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter03/Ch03Art03Division37.pdf#page=1Fetched: 10/28/2026