(A) The holder of an alarm permit or the person in control of an alarm system shall be subject to warning, fines and suspension or loss of the permit (any alarm owned, operated, or leased by any federal, state, county or local government agency will not be subject to fines) depending on the number of false alarm notifications emitted from an alarm system within a 12-month period from July 1 through June 30.
(B) Number of false alarm notifications; action taken.
(1) For the first two false alarm notifications, no action will be taken.
(2) The activation of three or more false alarms within a 12-month period from July 1 through June 30, will be handled according to the following schedule:
(a) The third false alarm will be billed a $25 service charge which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
(b) The fourth false alarm will be billed a $50 service charge which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
1. Each service charge incurred for the third and fourth false alarms at the premises described in the permit holder's permit shall be paid within 30 days from date of receipt thereof. Failure to make payment within 60 days from date of receipt shall result in revocation of the permit holder's permit until payment is received.
(c) The fifth false alarm shall result in a $100 service charge (which includes a $25 reinstatement fee) which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city and revocation of the permit holder's permit in the following manner:
1. The permit holder shall be given ten days advance written notification that the permit holder's permit will be revoked, the written notice shall set forth the reasons for such revocation.
2. The notice shall specify the specific date of revocation, and that any response by the Police Department will result in an assessment of $100 to alarms that occur at the premises described in the permit after the date of revocation, in addition to any other fees incurred under this schedule.
3. Reinstatement of the permit will be made upon receipt of all fees owed to the city under this chapter and upon compliance with the following conditions:
a. After the fifth false alarm, the alarm permit holder shall be required to have his alarm system inspected by a licensed and certified installer. Certificate of such inspection will be sent to the Police Department, and a copy of the inspection will be posted on the premises where the alarm system is maintained. The certificate will indicate the date of the inspection and the typed name and signature of the inspector.
b. A letter from the inspector will accompany the certificate, explaining what corrective action was taken to assure against further false alarms, either by repairing the systems, checking for proper installation and/or training the user in the proper use of the system.
(d) The sixth false alarm shall result in a written notification to the permit holder that upon activation of the next false alarm, the permit holder's permit will be revoked. The sixth false alarm will be billed a $150 service charge, which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
(e) The seventh false alarm shall result in revocation of the permit holder's permit in the manner described in division (B)(c)1. through 3. of this section, except the false alarm will be billed at $200 (which includes a $50 reinstatement fee) and shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
(f) The eighth false alarm will be billed a $350 service charge, which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
(g) The ninth false alarm shall result in a written notification to the permit holder that upon activation of the next false alarm the permit holder's permit will be revoked. The ninth false alarm will be billed a $400 service charge, which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
(h) The tenth false alarm and each subsequent false alarm, the permit holder's permit shall be revoked in the manner described in division (B)(c)1. through 3. of this section and also that an inspection of the premises shall be conducted by a representative of the Police Department, along with a representative of the permit holder's alarm company and a representative of the permit holder. The tenth false alarm and each subsequent false alarm will be billed a $500 service charge, which shall be considered a bill owed by the permit holder to the city.
(C) Any person who operates a newly installed system will not be subject to false alarm notifications action during the 30 days following the system completion provided a permit application is received by the Chief. The completion date shall be certified by a person where the system is professionally installed, or the date of the purchase receipt for self-installed systems.
(D) Any person operating a nonpermitted alarm system will be subject to a citation and assessment of a $100 fee for each alarm without benefit of the notifications provided for in this section. Subsequent submittal of an alarm permit application shall have all previously received alarms counted in accumulating the five notification total.
(E) Alarm activations, caused by actual criminal offense or with evidence of a criminal attempt, shall not be counted, nor false alarm notifications accumulated.
(Ord. passed 6-27-94; Am. Ord. passed 1-17-95; Am. Ord. passed 5-4-10)