Section
127.01 Definitions
127.02 Alarm user registration information
127.03 Proper alarm systems operation and maintenance; automatic shut-off for audible alarms
127.04 Monitoring procedures
127.05 Alarm dispatch request information
127.06 System performance reviews
127.07 Alarm businesses
127.08 Procedures to contest decision not to issue, or to revoke licenses
127.09 Confidentially
127.10 Special rules for intentionally activated alarms
127.11 Procedures for notifying an alarm user of a false alarm dispatch; appeal
127.12 Penalty; fines for false alarms
127.13 Previously issued citations
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
ALARM ADMINISTRATOR. The person or persons designated by the Mayor to administer the provisions of this chapter.
ALARM BUSINESS. The business, by an individual, partnership, corporation or other entity, of leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving, installing or monitoring an alarm system in an alarm site.
ALARM DISPATCH REQUEST. A notification to the police MetroSafe/Emergency Management Agency by the alarm business or alarm user that an alarm, either manual or automatic, has been activated at a particular alarm site.
ALARM SIGNAL. The audible, visual, or electronic signal transmitted by an alarm system to the alarm business that indicates an alarm condition.
ALARM SITE. A single premises or location served by an alarm system or systems. Each tenancy, if served by a separate alarm system in a multi-tenant building or complex, shall be considered a separate alarm site.
ALARM SYSTEM. A device or series of devices, including, but not limited to, systems interconnected with direct wiring or radio frequency signals, which are designed to discourage crime, by emitting or transmitting a remote or local audible, visual or electronic signal indicating an alarm condition. ALARM SYSTEM does not include an alarm installed on a vehicle unless the vehicle is permanently located at a site.
ALARM TECHNICIAN. Any person used by an Alarm Business to design, maintain, service, repair, alter, replace, move, or install alarm systems.
ALARM USER. Any non-governmental person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity who (which) uses an alarm system or individual alarm at its alarm site, and which is monitored by an alarm business.
CONVERSION. The transaction or process by which one alarm business begins servicing and/or monitoring an alarm system previously monitored by another alarm business.
DIVISION RESOURCE OFFICER. A uniformed assignment responsible for quality-of-life issues and the coordination of division-level community-oriented policing initiatives, and who serves as the point-of-contact between the LMPD and the Department of Codes & Regulations for matters relating to nuisance properties.
FALSE ALARM DISPATCH. An alarm dispatch request to the MetroSafe/Emergency Management Agency when the responding officer finds no evidence of a criminal offense or attempted criminal offense after having completed a timely investigation of the alarm site. An alarm dispatch request that is canceled by the alarm business prior to the time the responding officer reaches the alarm site shall not be considered a FALSE ALARM DISPATCH.
FLOATING CALENDAR YEAR. A calendar year that begins from the date of the first notice letter sent regarding a false alarm dispatch after the effective date of this chapter.
HOLD-UP ALARM. A silent alarm signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a robbery in progress.
INDIVIDUAL ALARM. An alarm system purchased and installed by an individual alarm user and that transmits alarm dispatch requests to MetroSafe/Emergency Management Agency.
MONITORING. The process by which an alarm business receives signals from alarm systems and relays an alarm dispatch request to Metro Government for the purpose of requesting police response to the alarm site.
PERSON. An individual, corporation, partnership, association, organization or similar entity.
VERIFY. An attempt by the alarm business, or its representative, to contact the alarm site by telephonic or other electronic means, whether or not actual contact with a person is made, utilizing ECV (Enhanced Call Verification) also known as Multiple Call Verification before requesting a police dispatch, in an attempt to avoid an unnecessary alarm dispatch request. Such verification is a procedure whereby the alarm monitoring company makes at least one call each to different phone numbers in its attempt to reach the alarm user in the event of an alarm activation.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 156-2021, approved 11-11-2021)
(A) Before any alarm system monitored by an alarm business is activated, the alarm user shall register their alarm system with the False Alarm Administrator. The alarm user may register their alarm online or through mail. An alarm business shall provide an alarm user with the information needed to register the user's alarm. Each alarm user shall be charged a yearly registration fee of $15. No registration fee will be charged for any individual residential alarm registered to a person 65 years of age or older.
(B) Upon receipt of this alarm user registration information, the Alarm Administrator shall register the alarm user. Each registered alarm user shall be identified with a unique number designated by the Alarm Administrator.
(C) The Alarm Administrator shall provide both the alarm business and the alarm user with a list of the information that must be provided by the alarm user to register an alarm. This information shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Contact information for the alarm user;
(2) Contact information for the alarm business monitoring the alarm system;
(3) The classification of the alarm site; and
(4) The purpose of the alarm system.
(D) An alarm user with an alarm system provided by an alarm business or monitored by an alarm business shall inform the alarm business, in writing, of any change that alters any information originally provided to such business regarding the alarm user's information, within five business days of those changes.
(E) An alarm user registration cannot be transferred to another person or business. If a premises with a registered alarm system is transferred to a person or business other than the registered user, the new premises owner must register with the Alarm Administrator as an alarm user, as provided in subsection (C) of this section. The alarm business shall also provide new premises owner with information on how to register the alarm system in their name.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 156-2021, approved 11-11-2021)
(A) An alarm user shall:
(1) Maintain the premises and the alarm system in a manner that will minimize or eliminate false alarm dispatches.
(2) Not manually activate an alarm for any reason other than an occurrence of an event that the alarm system was intended to report.
(3) Not maintain an alarm system without providing the Alarm Administrator or the applicable alarm business with current alarm user registration information.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 156-2021, approved 11-11-2021)
(A) An alarm business performing monitoring services shall:
(1) Make at least two attempts to verify each alarm signal, utilizing ECV (Enhanced Call Verification) before requesting a police response; provided, however, that the verification shall not be attempted in any case involving:
(a) Hold-up alarm signals; or
(b) Panic alarms; or
(c) Alarms where the alarm user has an active court-issued order of protection;
1. To qualify for the exception in this subsection, the alarm user shall provide both their alarm business and the Alarm Administrator with notice of the active order of protection and, if requested, a copy of the order.
2. Once the active order has been legally terminated or has expired, the alarm user shall have the duty to notify their alarm business and the alarm administrator that the protective order has been legally terminated or has expired. A copy of any order legally terminating the order of protection shall be provided upon request.
(2) Communicate alarm dispatch requests to Metro Government in a manner and form determined by the Alarm Administrator, including the registration number of the alarm user. The alarm business shall also communicate to Metro Government, that an alarm user has an active EPO, DVO or other court-issued domestic violence order, when making a dispatch request.
(3) Communicate verified cancellations of alarm dispatch requests to Metro Government in a manner and form determined by the Alarm Administrator.
(4) Provide such information as is required by the Alarm Administrator, including a list of clients and their registration numbers.
(B) The Alarm Administrator shall develop a procedure to accept verified cancellation of alarm dispatch requests, and shall provide that information to the alarm business.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 156-2021, approved 11-11-2021)
(A) The police officer who responds to an alarm dispatch request shall record such information as required by the Alarm Administrator, including, but not limited to the following:
(1) Identification of the alarm site;
(2) Time officer was dispatched and time of arrival at alarm site;
(3) Date and time of alarm;
(4) Weather conditions;
(5) Areas and/or sub-area of premises involved; and
(6) Name of alarm user's representative on premises, if any.
(B) The police officer who responds shall indicate on the dispatch record whether the dispatch was caused by a criminal offense, an attempted criminal offense, or was a false alarm dispatch.
(C) In the case of a false alarm dispatch, the police officer who responds shall leave notice at the alarm site that the Police Department responded to a false alarm dispatch. The notice shall include the following information:
(1) The date and time of police response to the false alarm dispatch;
(2) The identification number of the police officer(s) who responded; and,
(3) A statement urging the alarm user to ensure that the alarm system is properly operated, inspected, and serviced in order to avoid service fees.
(D) Alarm businesses that perform monitoring services shall maintain, for a period of at least one year following a request for police dispatch to an alarm site, records relating to the dispatch. These records must include:
(1) The name, address, phone number and alarm user's registration number;
(2) The alarm system zone(s) activated;
(3) The time of request for police dispatch; and
(4) Evidence that attempts to verify the alarm required by § 127.04(A)(1) were made to the alarm site prior to the request for police dispatch.
At the Alarm Administrator's request, the alarm business shall provide to the Alarm Administrator the records referenced in subsection (D) for any individual alarm user.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 156-2021, approved 11-11-2021)
If there is reason to believe that an alarm system is not being used or maintained in a manner that ensures proper operation and suppresses false alarms, the Alarm Administrator shall advise the Division Resource Officer of the issue, and the Division Resource Officer shall address the issue in person with the business or residence.
(Lou. Metro Ord. No. 156-2021, approved 11-11-2021)
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