(A) In general.
(1) Every alarm system user shall obtain a permit from the town Police Department for each alarm system that such alarm system user owns, leases, operates or uses within the municipal corporate limits or extraterritorial jurisdiction of the town. An alarm system business must obtain a permit under this section only if an alarm system is used to protect the premises in which the business is housed.
(2) Any owner, lessor, operator or user of an alarm system that has a direct connection with the Communication Center shall pay a fee of $240 per year per alarm system.
(3) Except for town public facilities, no alarm system user may utilize a tape or digital dialer system to contact the Communications Center.
(B) Alarm system user permit application.
(1) The alarm system user applying for the permit required herein shall state on the permit application form: the name, address and telephone number of each person with unrestricted access to the premises where the alarm system is located; the street address of the premises on which the alarm system has been or will be installed; the type of alarm system; and the name, address, and telephone number of at least three other persons who can be reasonably expected to be available at any time, day or night, and who are authorized by the alarm system user to respond to and open the premises where the alarm system is installed. An alarm system located at a residential property and which is capable of and configured to reset after a maximum of 30 minutes shall suffice to meet the requirement that persons other than the alarm system owner be available to respond to and open the premises in the event of a false alarm. The form of the alarm system user permit application shall be prescribed by the Town Manager. Any alarm system user may obtain a permit appli- cation from the Police Department.
(2) At such time that any information required as provided in this section is in any way changed or expanded, all alarm system users with permits shall complete an updated alarm system user permit application within 60 days after the town distributes notification of any such change or expansion of the information required in the alarm system user permit application; provided, however, that previously issued permits shall remain valid and in effect until 60 days after the town distributes notification of any such change or expansion of the information required in the alarm system user permit application, at which such permits shall automatically expire if the alarm system user has not filed an updated alarm system user permit application. There shall be no fee for completing another permit appli- cation under such circumstances.
(3) All alarm system users shall be responsible for updating and supplementing the information in their alarm system user permit applications, as necessary. Failure to fulfill such obligation shall be grounds for revocation of a permit.
(C) (1) An alarm system user permit application shall be submitted to the Police Chief or Fire Chief, who shall approve such application if it is determined that (i) the application provides all of the information required by this chapter, and (ii) the applicant is not disqualified pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(2) The Police Chief or Fire Chief shall not approve an alarm system user permit application where the alarm system user's previous permit was revoked and the alarm system user has not had the alarm system inspected and repaired by a company licensed by the state to install and inspect alarm systems.
(3) The Police Chief or Fire Chief may revoke a permit where it is found that the alarm system user provided false information on the alarm system user permit application form. Upon approval of an alarm system user permit application by the Police Chief or Fire Chief as set forth in this section, a permit shall be issued.
(4) Any person whose application for a permit is denied by the Police Chief or Fire Chief may appeal from such decision to the Town Manager pursuant to § 114.04 of this chapter.
(D) Each permit for a business shall be available at the premises where the alarm system is installed and shall be available for inspection by the Police Chief or Fire Chief during normal business hours.
(E) (1) Any alarm system user who owns, leases, operates or uses an alarm system without a permit as required by this chapter shall be assessed a civil penalty in accordance with § 10.98 of this Code of Ordinances.
(2) If, at the time of the first false fire or police alarm for any alarm system, the alarm system user has not obtained a permit, the alarm system user will not be assessed a civil penalty, as provided above, so long as such alarm system user applies for a permit within ten days of the occurrence of such false fire or police alarm.
(3) The operation or use of an alarm system without a permit is sufficient cause for the Police Department, upon notice in writing to the alarm system user, to cease responding to further alarms until the alarm system user applies for or obtains a valid permit.
(Ord. passed 7-17-00)