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1. The provisions of this chapter do not apply to any new installation or modification of alarm systems for the first thirty days following completion of the installation or system modification.
2. Users installing a new system shall be entitled to a grace period during which false alarms generated by such systems shall be deemed non-false alarms. The grace period shall cease thirty days after installation of an alarm system.
1. The alarm user will complete an application form that includes a list for the user’s alarm business of at least two people that can serve as contact persons. The contact person will be responsible for responding to the alarm location if the need arises. Commercial users that employ less than two persons or single-family dwellings where less than two adult residents reside are only required to provide contact numbers for the actual number of employees or adult residents. The alarm user may be required to respond to the scene of an alarm.
2. The alarm user will ensure that any employee or agent that will be given the responsibility of the operation of activating or deactivating the alarm system is properly trained to do so.
3. The alarm user will be liable and responsible for false alarms at the alarm site.
4. The alarm user will not manually activate an alarm system for any other reason other than an occurrence of an event that the alarm system was intended to report.
5. An alarm user shall not use automatic voice dialers.
6. The alarm user will be responsible for ensuring that false alarms are not transmitted to the communications center.
7. The alarm user will provide the alarm administrator with signed certification stating the date of the alarm installation, conversion, or takeover, the name and telephone number of the alarm business who performed the installation, conversion, or takeover, the name and telephone number of the alarm business who will provide repair service to the system and the name and telephone number of the alarm business who will be monitoring the alarm system. Any false statement made by an applicant will be sufficient cause for the alarm administrator to refuse to issue a permit.
8. The alarm user will make sure the alarm site’s address is properly located and legible and can be seen from the street.
9. The alarm user will make sure the alarm business who installed, monitors, and services the alarm system will set all available alarms with a device to automatically reset within a fifteen-minute time period.
10. The alarm user is responsible for having the alarm system checked on a regular basis to ensure that it is functioning properly.
11. The alarm user will be required to have a properly licensed alarm business inspect the alarm system after three false alarm dispatches in a one-year period. After five false alarm dispatches, the alarm user must have a reputable alarm business modify the alarm system to be more false alarm resistant or provide additional training for the alarm user.
12. The written operating instructions for each alarm system must be maintained at each alarm site.
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.
1. Tenants who install monitored alarm systems in an apartment complex single unit are considered an alarm user as defined in this chapter and all of the provisions in this chapter will apply to that individual.
2. Owners or property managers of apartment complexes, who provide an alarm system in individual units as an amenity, shall obtain an alarm permit from the alarm administrator. The property manager or owner is responsible for all fees, services, permit renewals, and false alarm dispatches for alarm systems in residential units.
3. Owners or property managers of apartment complexes shall be responsible for obtaining separate alarm permits for any alarm system operating in nonresidential areas of the complex (e.g., storage and equipment areas, pool, offices, and garages).
1. The alarm administrator will make a copy of the ordinance codified in this chapter and/or an ordinance summary sheet available to each alarm user when said user registers for a permit.
2. If the alarm administrator denies the issuance or renewal of a permit, or suspends or revokes a permit, a written notice of this action and a statement of the right to an appeal will be sent by certified mail to both the applicant or alarm user and the alarm business.
3. The communications center will properly record all alarm calls that come into the communications center and dispatch units to investigate the alarm call.
4. The communications center will have designated non-911 telephone lines available to the monitoring alarm businesses to receive calls or reports of alarm activation. Those lines will ring at the communications center and be monitored twenty-four hours a day.
5. The communications center will maintain a record of all alarm calls and the nature of the alarms including the number of false alarms, and accurate alarm dispositions.
6. The police unit will respond to the location of the alarm in a timely manner and investigate to determine if a crime has been committed, including robbery, burglary, attempted robbery or burglary, trespassing, etc. and properly note such findings on the alarm form.
7. If there are no signs that a crime has been committed the police unit will attempt to determine if the location of the alarm is secure and make the proper notification on the alarm form.
8. The police unit will make a determination on the scene of the alarm to determine if the alarm was a false alarm and properly note that on the alarm form and notify the communication center of the nature of the alarm when they leave the alarm site.
9. The police unit may or may not request that the alarm user respond to the scene of the alarm.
10. The police unit upon determining the alarm to be false will leave written notice at the alarm site that the Ankeny Police Department has responded to a false alarm dispatch. Copies of this notice will be placed in the case jacket and also given to the alarm administrator. The written notice shall include the following:
A. The date and time of law enforcement response to the false alarm;
B. The identification number of the responding law enforcement officer; and
C. A statement urging the alarm user to ensure that the alarm system is properly operated, inspected, and serviced in order to avoid false alarms and resulting service fees.
11. After three such false alarms, the alarm administrator will have the responsibility to notify the alarm user by registered mail that there have been three false alarms at said user’s alarm site and in the event that another false alarm occurs after delivery of notification, administrative fees as prescribed in Section 135.10 will be imposed.
12. The Police Department shall provide two false alarm education programs per calendar year, as needed. Each program shall inform alarm system users about alarm systems, false alarms, causes and impacts of false alarms, and how to reduce and eliminate false alarms.
If the alarm administrator determines that there is reason to believe that an alarm system is not being utilized or maintained in a manner that ensures proper operation and suppresses false alarms, the alarm administrator may request a conference with the alarm user. The alarm business responsible for the repair of said alarm system may be required to attend to review the circumstances of each false alarm.
The City assumes no responsibility or liability whatsoever for alarm systems installed or maintained by private individuals or privately operated alarm businesses, or for the quality of installation, maintenance, monitoring, type of equipment used or for the interruption of services being provided by said alarm businesses to the alarm users.
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