(a) The City may subscribe to one or more telephone lines for burglar or robbery alarms, or for fire alarm purposes, or for similar purposes, and when any line is so designated as provided for herein, persons may, upon proper application and compliance with applicable laws, be granted a permit to install a device or devices which automatically select the designated telephone line for the purpose of playing a recorded message or to otherwise report an intrusion or other emergency.
(b) No person shall use or cause to be used, for burglar or robbery or fire alarm purposes, any telephone device or telephone attachment that automatically selects any telephone line allocated by the telephone company to the City or any of its departments or divisions, except a telephone line which may be specifically designated by the City Manager for such purpose. Such designated telephone line or lines shall terminate at the police station or fire station communications centers.
(c) For alarms of the type described herein, the message shall comply with the following restrictions:
(1) The length of the message shall not exceed 15 seconds.
(2) The message shall not be repeated more than three times for each dialing.
(3) The message shall first state: “This is a recording.” The balance of the message shall be appropriate to the purpose for which the alarm is installed and shall be subject to the approval of the Chief of Police and/or the Chief of Fire. The entire message shall be intelligible.
(d) For alarms of the type herein described, each such device shall be programmed to first dial the police station or fire station, using an unlisted number assigned for that purpose. The device shall next dial a number selected by the applicant, such second number being that at which a person having a key to the building where the alarm is installed can normally be found. A third number subject to the approval of the Chief of Police or the Chief of Fire may be programmed for the next dialing. Not more than three such dialings may be programmed except under unusual circumstances and upon approval by the Chief of Police or the Chief of Fire. No enforcement agency other than the City Division of Police or Division of Fire may be selected.
(e) The cost of providing the service described above, including any fee or payment charged by the telephone company, shall be paid by the applicant.
(f) The fee to be charged by the City shall be determined on an annual basis by dividing the cost of phone service for such purpose to the City by the number of holders of permits for alarms, adding 15% for administration and rounding off to the next highest dollar, except that the minimum charge shall be twenty dollars ($20.00) per year per subscriber. All fees shall be payable on a calendar year basis in advance. Delinquency in excess of ten days shall result in cancellation of the permit or permits.
(Ord. O77-221, passed 1-3-1978)