(A) No alarm user shall operate, or cause to be operated, an alarm system without a valid alarm user permit for the alarm site issued by the False Alarm Reduction Unit as required in § 9-3-1 et seq.
(B) Possession of an alarm user permit is not intended to, nor will it, create a contract, duty or obligation, either expressed or implied, of response by a Public Safety Officer. Any and all liability and consequential damage resulting from the failure to respond is hereby disclaimed and governmental immunity as provided by law is retained. Without limitation of the foregoing, by applying for an alarm user permit, the alarm user acknowledges that public safety response may be based on factors such as availability of public safety units, priority of calls, weather conditions, traffic conditions, emergency conditions or staffing levels.
(C) A fee of $25.00 shall be charged for the issuance and each annual renewal of each alarm user permit.
(1) No refund of a permit or permit renewal fee will be made.
(2) For private premises alarm sites, the Mayor shall waive the Alarm User Permit fee for low-income individuals and individuals 65 years of age and older. In making such determination, the Mayor shall require the low-income applicant to furnish appropriate documentation establishing eligibility for the waiver including: an EBT card issued by the State of New Mexico for Food Stamps, either the annual letter of statement of benefits or monthly benefit card for Supplemental Security Income, an EBT card issued by the State of New Mexico for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, or a Medicaid health benefit card. The aforementioned documentation shall be maintained on file by the False Alarm Reduction Unit. The Mayor shall require the applicant 65 years of age and over to furnish a driver's license or other appropriate documentation as proof of age.
(D) A permit cannot be transferred to another person or alarm site.
(E) A separate alarm user permit is required for each alarm site.
(F) The initial annual alarm user permit application form and permit fee must be submitted to the False Alarm Reduction Unit within sixty (60) days after installation of the alarm system. In lieu of a documented date of installation, the first recorded activation of the alarm system shall be considered the installation date. An alarm user who operates an alarm system without an alarm user permit shall be subject to the penalty provisions in § 9-3-99 of this Ordinance.
(G) Each alarm user permit application must include the following information:
(1) The name, address, home, work and cellular telephone numbers and e-mail address if available of the person in control of the alarm site.
(2) The street address of the alarm site.
(3) Classification of the alarm site as either residential or commercial.
(4) Classification of the alarm site as either owner-occupied or leased. If leased, identification of the owner of the alarm site including name, address and phone number. If the alarm site is an apartment, the application shall also include the name and telephone number of the apartment manager.
(5) Any business name used for the alarm site.
(6) The type of alarm system or systems and the purpose for which they are designed (i.e. intrusion, hold-up, fire, or any category identified by the False Alarm Reduction Unit).
(7) The names and telephone numbers of two contact persons who, if notified, at any time will come to the alarm site within 30 minutes after receiving a request from a member of the Police or Fire Department. These persons shall grant access to the alarm site and deactivate the alarm system if necessary.
(8) Name and alarm business permit number of the alarm system monitoring business, if applicable.
(9) For the initial application following installation of a new alarm system, name and alarm business permit number of the company that installed the alarm system, if not installed by the homeowner.
(H) Whenever any information on the alarm user permit application changes, the permit holder shall notify the False Alarm Reduction Unit within 30 days of such change.
(I) Any false statement of a material fact made by an applicant for the purpose of obtaining an alarm user permit or failure to provide required information shall be subject to the penalties in § 9-3-99.
(J) To the extent allowed by law, the False Alarm Reduction Unit shall treat all information on such application as proprietary and confidential information; provided, however, nothing in this Ordinance shall prohibit the use of such information for legitimate public safety purposes and for enforcement of this Ordinance.
(K) The False Alarm Reduction Unit shall assign an alarm permit for each alarm site in a federal, state, county, public school and other political subdivision facility for tracking purposes and to allow the City of Albuquerque to cooperate with these agencies to address any recurring false alarm problems. Neither permit fees, service fees nor fines shall be required of such agencies.
(Ord. 8-2003; Am Ord. 29-2010)