THE PASADENA, CALIFORNIA CITY COUNCIL, ACTING ON THE RECOMMENDATION OF POLICE CHIEF ROBERT MCGOWAN, ON DECEMBER 26, 1972, ENACTED THE BURGLARY AND ROBBERY ALARM PERMIT ORDINANCE. THE ORDINANCE IS INTENDED TO REGULATE ALARM SYSTEMS, BUSINESSES, AND AGENTS WITHIN THE CITY, ESTABLISH FEES, AND PROVIDE FOR PUNISHMENT OF VIOLATORS. A PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE ORDINANCE WAS TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF FALSE ALARMS, WHICH, IN THE 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EFFECT OF THE ORDINANCE, TOTALLED 1,941--A DAILY AVERAGE OF 12.85. A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE OF RESPONSE COSTS FOR THE 5-MONTH PERIOD WAS $17,110, BASED ON INDIVIDUAL ALARM RESPONSE COSTS OF $8.82. AT THE END OF 20 MONTHS OF EXPERIENCE FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE ORDINANCE, A 63 PERCENT REDUCTION IN FALSE ALARMS ACHIEVED RESULTED IN A SAVINGS OF APPROXIMATELY $10,804 IN POLICE RESOURCES FROM THE YEAR PRIOR TO THE ENACTMENT OF THE ORDINANCE. THIS DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF FALSE ALARMS IS BELIEVED DUE TO THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: (1) THE COURAGE OF THE CITY COUNCIL IN ENACTING A TOUGH, COMPREHENSIVE ORDINANCE, (2) THE ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS FOR ALARM SYSTEMS WHICH RELATE TO PERFORMANCE RATHER THAN TECHNOLOGY, AND (3) A VIGOROUS PROGRAM OF IMPLEMENTATION IN WHICH POLICE ENLIST THE COOPERATION OF SUBSCRIBERS AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL ALARM COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY. THE PASADENA POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS AN ULTIMATE GOAL OF AT LEAST 75 PERCENT REDUCTION IN FALSE ALARMS FROM THE PREORDINANCE PERIOD. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--RCB)