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A. Registration.
1. No alarm company operator or alarm agent, as defined by the Business and Professions Code, shall install, maintain, or repair any alarm system within the city unless the alarm company operator or alarm agent has, prior to performing such work, obtained a city business license.
2. Each alarm installation company and alarm monitoring company must designate 1 individual as the alarm response manager (ARM) for the company. The individual designated as the ARM must be knowledgeable of the provisions of this chapter, as well as have the knowledge and authority to deal with false alarm issues and respond to requests from the Alarm Administrator. The name, contact number, and email address of the ARM shall be provided to the Alarm Administrator. Failure to comply within 30 days after being notified in writing from the Alarm Administrator may result in the suspension of Police Department response to alarm dispatch requests from the non-complying alarm installation company or monitoring company.
3. Each alarm installation company shall provide the name, address and phone number of any monitoring company it is using to monitor its alarm sites within the city, and monitoring companies shall do the same for alarm installation companies that use their monitoring services within the city.
B. Alarm installation companies shall:
1. Upon the installation or activation of an alarm system, the alarm installation company shall distribute to the alarm user information summarizing:
a. The applicable law relating to false alarms, including the registration fee and the potential for fines and suspension of an alarm registration;
b. How to prevent false alarms; and
c. How to operate the alarm system.
2. After the effective date of this chapter, alarm installation companies shall not program alarm systems so that they are capable of sending one plus duress alarms. Monitoring companies may continue to report one plus duress alarms received from alarm systems programmed with one plus duress alarms installed prior to the effective date of this chapter.
3. After the effective date of this chapter, alarm installation companies shall not install, modify or repair “single action” devices for the activation of hold-up, robbery or panic alarms. New devices shall require 2 actions or an activation time delay to provide more positive assurance that the user intends to activate the device.
4. Ninety days after the effective date of this chapter, an alarm installation company shall, on new installations, use only alarm control panel(s) which are listed as ANSI/SIA CP-01- Control Panel Standard - Features for False Alarm Reduction.
5. An alarm installation company shall not use an automatic voice dialer for any alarm system which, when activated, uses a telephone device or attachment to automatically dial a telephone line leading into the Police Department or the city and then transmit any pre-recorded message or signal.
6. Ensure that alarm users of alarm systems equipped with a duress, robbery, holdup or panic alarm has been provided adequate training as to the proper use of the alarm system’s operation and function.
7. All alarm systems shall be supplied with an uninterrupted power supply in such a manner that the failure or interruption of the normal electric utility service for a period of up to 4 hours will not activate the alarm system.
8. All audible alarm systems shall include a device which will limit the duration of the audible alarm to a period of not more than 15 minutes per activation.
C. A monitoring company shall:
1. Report alarm signals by using telephone numbers or procedures designated by the Alarm Administrator or other approved communication processes.
2. Employ enhanced call confirmation procedures on all burglar alarm dispatch requests. The City Police Department may refuse to accept an alarm dispatch request from a monitoring company that has failed to comply with the procedures required by enhanced call confirmation. This division becomes effective 90 days after the effective date of this chapter.
3. Communicate alarm dispatch requests to the Police Department in a manner and form determined by the Alarm Administrator.
4. Communicate cancellations to the Police Department in a manner and form determined by the Alarm Administrator.
5. Communicate all available zone activations information (north, south, front, back, door, window, etc.) about the location of an alarm signal(s) as part of an alarm dispatch request.
6. Communicate the type of alarm activation (silent or audible, interior or perimeter), if available, on any alarm dispatch request.
7. Notify communications (dispatch) of any alarm site that it knows, or reasonably should know has guard dog(s), pets or is fitted with a protective-reactive alarm system. During any alarm at such a site, a responsible party must be contacted and confirm that he or she will respond to the alarm site to disarm the device or take control of the guard dog(s).
8. After an alarm dispatch request, promptly advise the Police Department if the monitoring company knows that the alarm user or a responsible party is on the way to the alarm site;
9. Each monitoring company must maintain, for a period of at least 1 year after the date of an alarm dispatch request, all records relating to the alarm dispatch request. Records must include the name, address and telephone number of the alarm user, each alarm system zone activated, the time of alarm dispatch request and evidence of all attempts to verify. The Alarm Administrator may request copies of such records for any individual alarm user. If the request is made within 60 days after an alarm dispatch request, the monitoring company shall furnish requested records within 3 business days after receiving the request. If the records are requested between 60 days and 1 year after an alarm dispatch request, the monitoring company shall furnish the requested records within 30 days after receiving the request.
10. Each monitoring company shall, upon request, immediately provide the Police Department with the names and phone numbers of the alarm user’s emergency contacts at the time of each alarm dispatch request.
D. Conversion of Alarm Users. An alarm installation company or monitoring company that converts the servicing of any alarm system account from another company shall notify the Alarm Administrator of such conversion and shall make a reasonable effort to provide to the Alarm Administrator, within 60 days from the date of conversion, an alarm user list of the converted accounts, in a format acceptable to the Alarm Administrator.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. The Alarm Administrator shall:
1. Designate the manner and form of alarm dispatch requests and the telephone numbers and/or communication process that are to be used for such requests; and
2. Establish a procedure to accept cancellation of alarm dispatch requests.
B. The Alarm Administrator shall establish a procedure to acquire and record information on alarm dispatch requests.
C. The Alarm Administrator shall establish and implement a procedure to notify the alarm user of a false alarm. The notice shall include the following:
1. The date and time of an officer’s response to the false alarm; and
2. Any false alarm fine incurred.
D. The Alarm Administrator may require that a conference be held with an alarm user and the alarm installation company or monitoring company responsible for repairing or monitoring of the alarm system to review the circumstances of each false alarm. The conference may be held in person or through a conference telephone call, at the Alarm Administrator’s discretion. Failure to participate may result in suspension of the alarm registration, as indicated by the facts of the case.
E. The Alarm Administrator may establish an alarm user awareness class. The Alarm Administrator may request the assistance of associations, alarm companies and law enforcement agencies in developing and implementing the class. The class shall inform alarm users of the alarm ordinance; problems created by false alarms and teach alarm users how to avoid creating false alarms.
F. If a false robbery, holdup or panic alarm has occurred and the alarm was triggered using a single action, non-recessed device, the Alarm Administrator may consider a waiver or partial waiver of the false alarm fine, if action is taken by the alarm user to remove or replace the single action, non-recessed device.
G. The Alarm Administrator shall make a copy of this chapter and/or an ordinance summary sheet available to each alarm user.
H. The Alarm Administrator may use electronic means to communicate with alarm users, alarm installation companies and monitoring companies when applicable or when requested by the recipient and at the Alarm Administrator’s discretion.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. The Alarm Administrator may assess the alarm user a fine for a false alarm occurring at that alarm user’s alarm site. The amount of said fines for the listed categories shall be established by City Council and may be subsequently amended by resolution of the City Council.
B. If a false alarm fine is not paid within 30 days after the invoice is mailed, a late charge as established by resolution of the City Council shall be imposed.
C. Fines for False Alarms from Non-Registered Alarm Systems. For person(s) operating a non-registered alarm system incurring a false alarm, fines shall be imposed as established by resolution of the City Council.
D. Any monitoring company after 5 business days of receiving notice from the Alarm Administrator that an alarm user’s registration status is that of non-registered shall not make a burglar alarm dispatch request from that alarm user.
E. If cancellation of a police response occurs prior to the officer’s arrival at the alarm site, the response is not considered a false alarm and no false alarm fine will be assessed.
F. The alarm installation company shall be assessed a fine in an amount established by resolution of the City Council if the officer responding to a false alarm determines that an on-site employee of the alarm installation company directly caused the false alarm. Such false alarms are not included in the total number of false alarms for the alarm user, nor is the alarm user to be held liable for any false alarm fine resulting from such alarm activation.
G. A fine in an amount established by resolution of the City Council shall be imposed against any monitoring company that fails to verify alarm system signals as required in § 8.20.090C.2. of this chapter.
H. Notice of the right of appeal under this chapter will be included with notice of any fine.
I. All registration fees, renewal registration fees or fines assessed under this section are due within 30 days of written notice unless otherwise noted. A late charge in an amount established by resolution of the City Council shall be imposed for each individual fee or fine due that is not paid within 30 days.
J. The Alarm Administrator may waive the false alarm fine for the first chargeable false alarm during the alarm user’s 1-year registration period, pending the successful completion of the online alarm user awareness class available through the Alarm Administrator. In order to have the fine waived, the alarm user shall have successfully completed the class within 30 days of the fine notice. Alarm users without online access may request the online school and test be mailed to them. Reasonable additional time to complete the alarm user awareness class shall be allowed for mail delivery.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. The Alarm Administrator shall notify the alarm user in writing or by other electronic means after each false alarm. The notice shall include the amount of the fine for the false alarm, the fact that police response to further alarms may be suspended after the fourth false alarm during the alarm user’s 1-year alarm registration period, (excluding duress, robbery, holdup and panic alarms), and that the alarm user has the right to appeal.
B. The Alarm Administrator shall notify the alarm user in writing 30 days beforehand that a Police Department response to further alarms is to be suspended. The right of appeal under this chapter shall be included with the notice. The notice of suspension shall also include the amount of any fees and/or fines due and a description of the reinstatement process.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. The Alarm Administrator shall notify the Police Department of each alarm user whose alarm registration qualifies for suspension under this section. The Alarm Administrator may suspend an alarm registration if it is determined that:
1. There is a false statement of a material fact in the registration application;
2. The alarm user has had 4 or more false burglar alarms within the 1-year registration period, except that the Alarm Administrator may waive a suspension of a registration upon receipt of documented work orders showing reasonable attempts to repair the alarm system prior to the notice of suspension; or
3. The alarm user fails or refuses to pay an alarm registration or alarm registration renewal fee, false alarm fine, late charge, or any other fee, fine, or charge assessed under this section.
B. It is a violation of this section for a person to operate a burglar alarm system during the period in which the alarm registration is suspended. It is a violation of this chapter for a monitoring company to make an alarm dispatch request to a burglar alarm site after the monitoring company’s alarm response manager (ARM) has been notified by electronic mail by the Alarm Administrator that the registration for that alarm site has been suspended. A grace period of 5 business days after the ARM’s notification shall be granted the monitoring company to comply. The alarm monitoring company shall be assessed a fine in an amount established by resolution of the City Council for requesting a burglar alarm dispatch request on a suspended alarm site.
C. False Alarm Fines under Suspension Status. In addition to the fines set forth in § 8.20.110
A., a supplemental fine is hereby imposed upon any person operating a suspended burglar alarm system. The amount of said fines shall be established by resolution of the City Council.
D. It shall be the responsibility of the alarm user to notify their respective alarm monitoring company of their suspension status. An alarm user shall be held financially accountable for all false alarm fines incurred.
E. Unless there is a separate indication that there is a crime in progress, the Police Department may or may not dispatch an officer to an alarm site for which an alarm registration is suspended.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. If the Alarm Administrator assesses a fee or fine, suspends an alarm registration or denies the issuance, renewal or reinstatement of an alarm registration, the Alarm Administrator shall send notice of the action and a statement of the right to appeal to the affected applicant, alarm user, alarm installation company or alarm monitoring company.
B. The applicant, alarm user, alarm installation company or alarm monitoring company may appeal any action described in division A. above to the Police Chief (or his or her designee) by setting forth in writing the reasons for the appeal and delivering the appeal to the Police Chief (or designee) within 20 days after receipt of notice of the action. Failure to deliver the appeal within that time period is a waiver of the right to appeal.
C. The procedure for an appeal to the Police Chief (or designee) is as follows:
1. The applicant, alarm user, alarm installation company or monitoring company may file a written request for appeal by paying an appeal fee and setting forth the reasons for the appeal. The appeal must be entitled “Appeal from Alarm Administrator’s Action.” The appeal fee shall be in an amount established by resolution of the City Council and will be returned to the appealing party if the appeal is successful.
2. The Police Chief (or designee) shall conduct a hearing on the appeal within 30 days after the Police Department’s receipt of the request for appeal and appeal fee and shall consider the evidence submitted by the appealing party and the Alarm Administrator. The Police Chief (or designee) must base the decision on the preponderance of evidence presented at the hearing and must render a decision within 15 days after the date of the hearing. The decision shall affirm or reverse the decision or action taken by the Alarm Administrator. The decision of the Police Chief or designee shall be the final decision in the matter.
3. Filing of an appeal stays any action by the Alarm Administrator to suspend an alarm registration or require the payment of a fee or fine until the appeal process has been exhausted. This provision applies only to the action of the Alarm Administrator that is the subject of the appeal. This provision does not operate as a bar to enforcement action on violations of this section that occur thereafter.
D. The Alarm Administrator or the Police Chief, or their respective designees, may adjust the count of false alarms or assessed fees based on:
1. Evidence that a false alarm was caused by action of a communications services provider (i.e., telephone, cellular, cable company);
2. Evidence that a false alarm was caused by a power outage of more than 4 hours or severe weather such as a tornado, earthquake, or excessive winds (35 m.p.h. or above as measured by a local, recognized weather monitoring station);
3. Evidence that an alarm dispatch request was not a false alarm; or
4. The occurrence of multiple alarms within a 24-hour period, which may be considered as 1 false alarm if the alarm user has taken corrective action, unless the false alarms are directly caused by the alarm user.
E. The Alarm Administrator may waive all or part of a false alarm fine due to extenuating circumstances or to encourage corrective action with supervisor approval.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. On the suspension of an alarm registration, a person whose alarm registration has been suspended may obtain reinstatement of the registration by the Alarm Administrator if the person:
1. Pays a reinstatement fee as established by resolution of the City Council;
2. Pays, or otherwise resolves, all outstanding fees, fines, and other charges;
3. Submits a written notice from an alarm installation company stating that the alarm system has been inspected and repaired (if necessary) by the alarm installation company;
4. The alarm user successfully completes an alarm user awareness class and test.
B. The Police Department shall reinstate its response to an alarm site as soon as is practicable after receiving notice of reinstatement from the Alarm Administrator. The alarm user and monitoring company shall take notice that the alarm site has been officially reinstated only after receiving notice from the Alarm Administrator of that fact. It shall be the responsibility of the alarm user to verify that his, her, or its registration status and future police response has been properly restored.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. The Police Chief or designee may suspend police response to an alarm dispatch request from an alarm installation company or monitoring company if it is determined that:
1. There is a violation of this chapter by the alarm installation company or monitoring company and the condition causing the violation has not been corrected; and/or
2. The alarm installation company or monitoring company has failed to pay any fee, fine, or other charge assessed under this section, more than 60 days after the fee, fine, or other charge is due.
B. The Police Department may not respond to any alarm dispatch request where the alarm installation company or monitoring company who installed or monitors that alarm has failed to comply with any licensing requirements or failed to maintain a valid copy of any required alarm company operators license.
C. A suspension of police response made pursuant to this division is subject to the appeal process provided for within this chapter. In addition, the Alarm Administrator has the ability to accept a workable solution from the affected party prior to an appeal. The affected party has 60 days after the written notice of suspension before police response is suspended to its alarm customers.
D. The Alarm Administrator shall notify all known alarm users subscribing to an alarm installation company or an alarm monitoring company that the Police Department has suspended response to the company’s alarm dispatch requests.
E. The city shall assess the alarm installation company or monitoring company a reinstatement fee in an amount established by resolution of the City Council. In addition, if the Alarm Administrator has incurred costs in notifying alarm users by mail of the suspension of their alarm installation company or monitoring company, reimbursement to the city of those costs shall be a condition of reinstatement.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
A. Subject to the suspension provisions in § 8.20.130 above and the discretion discussed in § 8.20.190 below, the Police Department at its discretion will respond to all “in progress” robbery, panic or burglar alarms as promptly as possible, taking into account pending calls for service and any policy establishing priority of dispatched calls following notification of the receipt of the alarm from the monitoring company. Police supervisors may, in their discretion, cancel a police response to any or all alarms based on weather or other factors affecting police service needs.
B. The Police Chief or his or her designee may re-prioritize assignment of burglar alarms and response time at any time during a 24-hour period as may be necessary due to the service needs of the community.
(Ord. 1479, passed 5-16-2018)
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