A. Except where an alarm would not be considered a false alarm pursuant to § 9.12.020 7.a., if the McHenry County Sheriff responds to more than three false alarms in a calendar year, the Alarm User or agency shall be guilty of a petty offense and shall pay a fine to the County within 30 days of receipt of notice of such offense in the sum(s) found in Appendix A. Failure to pay the fine (within said 30 days) shall result in prosecution for violating this ordinance and upon conviction the fine shall be not less than $150.00 nor more than $1000.00. The fine payable upon receipt of notice and prior to any prosecution shall be paid to the County of McHenry and delivered to the McHenry County Circuit Clerk.
B. Except where an alarm would not be considered a false alarm pursuant to § 9.12.020 7.a., the Alarm User or agency shall be guilty of a petty offense for each false fire alarm after the third false fire alarm reported to the McHenry County Sheriffs Department by a fire protection district or rescue squad in a calendar year. The alarm user or agency shall pay a fine to the County within 30 days of receipt of notice of such offense in the sum(s) found in Appendix A. Failure to pay the fine (within said 30 days) shall result in prosecution for violating this ordinance and upon conviction the fine shall be not less than $150.00 nor more than $1000.00. The fine payable upon receipt of notice and prior to any prosecution shall be paid to the County of McHenry and delivered to the McHenry County Circuit Clerk.
C. If the McHenry County Sheriffs Department responds to a false alarm and it is determined that the cause of false alarm was the negligence of the Alarm Business for failing to contact the SHERIFF’S PSAP of work being done on the alarm, the Alarm Business shall be guilty of a petty offense and shall pay a fine to the County within 30 days of receipt of notice of such offense in the sum(s) found in Appendix A. Failure to pay the fine shall result in prosecution for violating this ordinance and upon conviction the fine shall be not less than $150.00 nor more than $1000.00. The fine payable upon receipt of notice and prior to any prosecution shall be paid to the County of McHenry and delivered to the McHenry County Circuit Clerk.
D. After 20 false alarms, the Alarm Administrator may request to the alarm user that the alarm system be removed or disengaged. If the alarm user refuses to remove or disengage the alarm after such request, the Sheriffs Department will no longer respond to the alarm until such time as documentation is presented that satisfies the Alarm Administrator that the problem has been rectified. Should the Alarm Administrator determine that the nature of the Alarm User’s or agency’s business or the complexity of the alarm system caused continued false alarms which are not the result of any substantial negligence or disregard on the part of the Alarm User or agency, the Alarm Administrator may permit the Alarm User or agency to retain the registration without requesting the removal or disengagement of the alarm system. If the alarm user is not requested to remove or disengage their alarm, each subsequent false alarm will result in the Alarm User or agency paying a fine to the County within 30 days of receipt of a notice of such offense in the sum(s) found in Appendix A. Failure to pay the fine shall result in prosecution for violating this ordinance and upon conviction the fine shall be not less than $150.00 nor more than $1000.00. The fine payable upon receipt of notice and prior to any prosecution shall be paid to the County of McHenry and delivered to the McHenry County Sheriff Department. Failure to remove or disengage an alarm system at the request of the Alarm Administrator may result in the McHenry County Sheriffs Department’s refusal to respond to alarms from the Alarm User or Agency, with or without notice to the Alarm User or Agency of such decision.
(Ord. O-200605-32-054, passed 5-16-2006)