(a) Each Alarm Installation Company and/or Monitoring Company that sells or leases to a person/Alarm User an automatic protection device or service must register his/her individual business with the Lorain Police Department. The cost of said registration is $250.00 annually. An Alarm Installation Company and/or Monitoring Company shall at that time provide the Lorain Police Department with a customer list of customers who own buildings in the City of Lorain who they contract with in a format acceptable to the Lorain Police Department, to assist them with the creating law enforcement tracking data. This requirement is contingent upon the state or local law that protects this customer information as confidential. An annual report must be provided to the Lorain Police Department thereafter by the second week of January of each year and with monthly updates thereafter.
(b) After completion of the installation of an Alarm System, an Alarm Installation Company employee shall review with the Alarm User the Customer False Alarm Prevention Checklist (Appendix B) or an equivalent checklist approved by the Lorain Police Department.
(c) The Monitoring Company shall not make an Alarm Dispatch Request of a law enforcement agency in response to a burglar alarm signal, during the first seven (7) days following an Alarm System installation. The Alarm Administrator may grant an Alarm User's request for an exemption from this waiting period based upon a determination that special circumstances substantiate the need for the exemption.
(d) A Monitoring Company shall:
(1) Report alarm signals by using telephone numbers designated by the Lorain Police Department;
(2) Verify every alarm signal, except a Duress or Holdup Alarm activation, before initiating an Alarm Dispatch Request.
(3) Communicate Alarm Dispatch Requests to the municipality in a manner and form determined by the Police Department/Fire Department;
(4) Communicate Cancellations to the municipality in a manner and form determined by the Police Department/Fire Department;
(5) Communicate any available information (north, south, front, back, floor, etc.) about the location on all alarm signals related to the Alarm Dispatch Request;
(6) Communicate nature of alarm (i.e.: burglary, robbery, panic, duress, silent, audible, interior or perimeter);
(7) Provide an Alarm User registration number when requesting law enforcement dispatch;
(8) After an Alarm Dispatch Request, promptly advise the law enforcement agency if the Monitoring Company knows that the Alarm User or the Responder is on the way to the Alarm Site;
(9) Attempt to contact the Alarm User or Responder within 24 hours via mail, fax, telephone or other electronic means when an Alarm Dispatch Request is made; and
(10) Upon the effective date of this Ordinance, Monitoring Companies must maintain for a period of at least one (1) year from the date of the Alarm Dispatch Request, records relating to Alarm Dispatch Requests. Records must include the name, address and telephone number of the Alarm User, the Alarm System Zone(s) activated, the time of Alarm Dispatch Request and evidence of an attempt to Verify. The Police Department may request copies of such records for individually named Alarm Users. If the request is made within sixty (60) days of an Alarm Dispatch Request, the Monitoring Company shall furnish requested records within ten (10) business days of receiving the request. If the records are requested between sixty (60) days to one (1) year after an Alarm Dispatch Request, the Monitoring Company shall furnish the requested records within thirty (30) days of receiving the request.
(e) An Alarm Installation Company and/or Monitoring Company that purchases Alarm System accounts from another Person/Entity shall notify the Alarm Administrator of such purchase and provide details as may be reasonably requested by the Alarm Administrator.
(f) Each Alarm Installing Company and Alarm Monitoring Company must designate one individual as the Alarm Response Manager (ARM) for the company who will manage alarm related issues and act as the point of contact for the Alarm Administrator. The appointed individual must be knowledgeable of the general provisions of this Ordinance, as well as have the knowledge and authority to deal with false alarm issues and respond to requests from the alarm administrator. The name, phone number, and email address of the designated ARM must be provided to the Lorain Police Department/Fire Department.
(g) Alarm Companies shall assist in obtaining the initial Alarm Registration and registration fee from the alarm user and submit it to the Alarm Administrator within ten (30) days of the activation of an alarm system.
(h) At the time of installation, each Alarm Installation Company shall furnish to the person for whom an automatic protection device has been installed, written information as to how service can be obtained at any time including the telephone number to call for service. Such person shall be responsible for having the device repaired as quickly as possible after he learns either from his own sources or from notification by the Chief of Police that the device is not working properly. (Ord. 46-19. Passed 4-5-19.)