1. Any alarm company operating within the jurisdiction of the City shall be registered and licensed with the Clerk prior to conducting business within the jurisdiction of the City.
2. Alarm installation licenses shall be issued annually on a calendar year basis. All applications for licenses shall be filed with the Clerk on forms provided for that purpose.
3. Alarm businesses shall not program alarm systems so that they are capable of sending one plus duress alarms. Alarm businesses may continue to report one plus duress alarms received from alarm systems programmed with one plus duress prior to the enactment of the ordinance codified in this chapter. However, when a takeover or conversion occurs or if an alarm user requests an alarm system inspection or modifications pursuant to this chapter, an alarm business must remove one plus duress alarm capability from such alarm systems.
4. Each alarm business will employ agents or employees that possess the needed skills and abilities to perform the duties required. These duties are to include the proper instruction to allow the alarm user to use the alarm system correctly, and obtain service for the alarm at any time.
5. After the completion of an alarm system installation an alarm business employee or agent shall review with the alarm user the false alarm prevention checklist or an equivalent approved by the alarm administrator and the customer false alarm prevention checklist. The alarm business shall ensure that the alarm technician and the alarm user sign both forms. Copies of the forms shall be sent to the alarm administrator within seven business days after reviewing.
6. Each alarm business will maintain a current list of at least two people that can be notified for the alarm user in the event of alarm activation except as noted in this chapter. Each alarm business will offer a training period in which they train the alarm user on proper use of the alarm system.
7. Alarm businesses must ensure that all alarm users of alarm systems equipped with a duress, holdup, or one plus duress alarm are given adequate training as to the proper use of the duress or holdup alarms.
8. Alarm businesses are prohibited from using an automatic telephone dialing device or digital alarm communicator to notify the communications center of an alarm. They are required to notify the communications center via telephone numbers specified by the alarm administrator. The alarm business will attempt to verify every alarm signal, except a holdup alarm activation or a duress alarm before requesting a police response to an alarm signal.
9. Each alarm business will provide the communications center with the following information when reporting an alarm:
A. A local call or toll-free call back number for the alarm monitoring company;
B. An operator name and/or number;
C. The alarm permit number, and type of alarm; and
D. Location of alarm (street address and alarm indication, e.g., front door).
10. Alarm businesses will provide the communications center with the following information when reporting an alarm cancellation:
A. Identification of the permit number for the alarm site;
B. Identification of the alarm site;
C. Identification of the alarm business;
D. Date and time that the alarm dispatch request was received;
E. Cause of alarm, if known; and
F. Why they are canceling.
11. If cancellation occurs prior to law enforcement arriving at the scene, this is not a false alarm for the purpose of fees, and no service fee will be issued.
12. After an alarm dispatch request, alarm businesses are required to promptly advise the law enforcement agency if the alarm user or contact person is on the way to the alarm site.
13. The alarm business must attempt to contact the alarm user or contact person within twenty-four hours via mail, fax, telephone, or other electronic means when an alarm dispatch request is made and the contact person or alarm user cannot be reached immediately.
14. Alarm businesses are prohibited from selling or otherwise transferring alarm user maintenance or monitoring contracts or agreements to another alarm business without first ensuring the purchasing and/or being aware that the alarm business has obtained the required permit and otherwise meets the requirements of this chapter.
15. The alarm business will set all available alarms with a device to automatically reset within a fifteen-minute time period.
16. Alarm businesses, which perform monitoring services, must maintain for a period of at least one year following the request for police dispatch to an alarm site, any records relating to the dispatch. Records must include the name, address and phone number of the alarm user, the alarm system zones or points activated, the time of request for police dispatch and evidence that an attempt to verify was made to the alarm site prior to the request for police dispatch. The alarm administrator may request copies of such records for individually named alarm users.