(a) As used in this section, “false alarm” means an emergency alarm, activated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional acts, including, but not limited to, malfunction of the alarm system, to which the Police Department responds. The definition excludes false alarms caused by: malfunctions of the indicator at the police station; malfunction, testing or repairing of telephone equipment or lines; malfunction, testing or repairing of the normal power supply source for alarms installed on residential subdivisions; acts of God, such as earthquake, flood, windstorm, thunder or lightning; an attempted illegal entry of which there is visible evidence; or the user acting under a sincere belief that a need exists to call the Police Department. If a doubt exists as to the cause of a false alarm, the Chief of Police shall resolve it in favor of the alarm user. Multiple alarms received before the system can be deactivated within a reasonable period of time shall be considered a single alarm.
(b) A charge in accordance with the following schedule shall be imposed for false alarms:
Business, Commercial, Industrial
First three false alarms in a twelve-month period - no charge.
Fourth through sixth false alarms in a twelve-month period - $25.00
Seventh through ninth false alarms - $50.00
Tenth through twelfth false alarms - $100.00
More than twelve false alarms in a twelve-month period - See Section 1068.06(i) through (o).
Residential
First three false alarms in a twelve-month period - no charge.
Fourth through sixth false alarms in a twelve-month period - $25.00
Seventh through ninth false alarms - $50.00
Tenth through twelfth false alarms - $100.00
More than twelve false alarms in a twelve-month period - See Section 1068.06(i) through (o).
(c) Notwithstanding the fee to be assessed, as set forth above, no charge shall be made for the first three false alarms in a twelve-month period, nor shall there be any charge for a false alarm to which there is no response by the Police Department, nor when the cause has been proven to be an act of God.
(d) A grace period of thirty days from the date of installation shall be granted to new permittees. During this period, no false alarms shall be counted towards the three allowable false alarms before charges are assessed.
(e) Any charge for a false alarm, as provided for in subsection (b) hereof, which remains unpaid thirty days after date of invoice, may result in the cancellation of the permit.