(A) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to require that owners of alarm systems which summon or use emergency services (Police Department, Fire Department, 9-1-1 Dispatch) maintain the reliability of their alarm systems in order to prevent unnecessary and expensive responses to false alarms.
(B) False alarms. When a determination has been made by the City Police Department that a false alarm has occurred, causing unnecessary response by emergency services personnel, the following procedures will apply.
(1) First false alarm. In a 12-month period, the first false alarm will result in a written notice of false alarm to the property owner, informing them of the false alarm. The notice shall be sent by regular mail to the address on file with the County Assessor. It shall be the property owner’s responsibility to notify any tenant(s) of the property, as applicable.
(2) Second false alarm. In a 12-month period, the second false alarm will result in a written notice of false alarm to the owner, which shall include a warning that any subsequent false alarms will result in fines. The notice shall be sent by certified mail.
(3) Three or more false alarms. If, within a 12-month period, three or more false alarms occur at a property, fines in the amount set by resolution of the City Council shall be billed to the property owner. All notices of false alarms and assessments of fines shall be by certified mail.
(C) Suspension or revocation of service.
(1) Once a property owner has reached five false alarms in a 12-month period, the Police Department may, with ten days’ written notice, discontinue response to the location. The ten-day written notice shall be personally served or sent by certified mail. This section is not applicable to fire alarms or medical alarms.
(2) Emergency response will be resumed upon the occurrence of the following:
(a) Receipt of full payment of all fines owed;
(b) At least 30 days have elapsed from the date of the last false alarm;
(c) Written request from the property owner has been received; and
(d) Evidence of corrective action on the part of the owner is presented, reviewed and approved by the Chief of Police or his or her designee.
(3) Based on the above criteria, the Chief of Police or his or her designee shall determine whether to approve a request to resume response to an alarm system.
(4) Any denial to resume response to an alarm system with a history of false alarms may be appealed to the City Council within ten days of receipt of such notice of denial.
(D) Silencing audible alarms. Any bell, horn or siren used in conjunction with an alarm system which is permitted by the property owner to sound continuously for more than 15 minutes, or resets it to create an intermittent tone and continues to cycle for more than 15 minutes, is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and may be summarily disconnected or otherwise silenced by the Police Department or other emergency personnel. Disconnection may be by any means necessary to silence the alarm. Any and all repairs shall be the responsibility of the owner.
(E) Liability of city. The city or any official, employee or agent thereof shall not be liable for any damage resulting from the silencing of alarms.
(Ord. 1282, passed 9-4-2018) Penalty, see § 90.999