False security alarms are very costly and take police officers away from responding to actual emergency situations.  On January 6, 1993, the City of Palm Springs enacted Ordinance 1430.  This law requires Palm Springs private property owners and business owners with alarm systems to obtain and maintain an annual permit and reimburse the City for excessive false security alarms.

A false alarm is any alarm signal which causes police department response, when an emergency situation does not exist.  Excessive false alarms are defined as more than one false alarm within any 365 day period at a permitted site, and any false alarm at a non-permitted site.