A. The village may determine and assess penalties for false alarms or malfunctions in accordance with the following provisions:
1. Definition: The term "twelve (12) month period", as used in this subsection, means the twelve (12) month interval occurring on a rolling basis beginning on the date of the first false alarm and ending twelve (12) months after the date of the first false alarm .
2. False Alarms; Permit Holders Liable:
Any person causing a false alarm of an alarm system will be obligated to pay a false alarm fee in an amount set forth in section 1-12-3 which is provided for reference as follows:
Number of False Alarms occurring during a 12 month period | Burglar False Alarms | Fire False Alarm |
1-4 | No charge | No charge |
5 | $50.00 | $50.00 |
6-8 | $100.00 | $100.00 |
9 | $150.00 | $150.00 |
10 and thereafter | $250.00 | $250.00 |
For the first four (4) fire false alarms or first four (4) burglar false alarms in a twelve (12) month period, a written warning notice will be given to the permit holder. The Village will make a reasonable effort to provide a similar warning to the property owner of the premises, its tenant, and the person in control of the premises when there is no other registered alarm system contact information.
3. Property Owner Or Occupant Liability: In addition thereto, the property owner of the premises, its tenant or person in control will also be subject to the respective penalties set forth in subsection A2 of this section.
4. Malfunction, Excused Alarm: In any instance where an alarm malfunctions, and the permit owner, property owner of the premises, tenant or person in control has the same repaired, and the repair facility certifies that the cause of the malfunction has been corrected, said alarm will be considered an excused alarm and not a false alarm.
5. Continuous Ringing: The permit of any alarm system that malfunctions and rings for a period of two (2) or more hours will be subject to suspension or revocation.
6. Penalty: Any person who fails to secure or maintain a current alarm system permit for an alarm system located within the village, or an alarm system which causes an alarm to be received by the police or fire department of the village will be subject to a fine in the amount of twenty five dollars ($25.00) for the first violation thereof, and fifty dollars ($50.00) for the second and subsequent violations thereafter within any twelve (12) month period. Each day that an alarm is not registered after notice of the second violation thereof will constitute a separate offense for which a separate and additional penalty may be recovered. All penalties must be paid within ten (10) days after written notice. (1988 Code § 7-5-10)
B. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this chapter, for which a specific fine is not otherwise prescribed, will, upon conviction thereof, be fined in the amount of not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than the maximum provided in section 1-4-1 of this code. (1988 Code § 7-5-12; amd. 2009 Code)
C. Alarm Testing: An alarm system may be tested or serviced at any time during installation or any time after installation; provided, however the alarm user or its designee must first notify the monitoring service or the Village's emergency communications center of the test. Any activation of an alarm system during a test or demonstration, without prior notice to, and approval of, the Village will be deemed a false alarm.(1988 Code § 7-5-11; amd. Ord. 2024-19, 9-9-2024)