(a) The city may subscribe to one or more telephone lines for burglar alarms or for holdup alarm purposes or for similar purposes, and when any line is designated as provided for the above, 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 any telephone device or telephone attachment that automatically selects a 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 Police Department for such purpose. Such designated telephone line or lines shall terminate at the police station communications center.
(c) For alarms of the type described, the message shall comply with the following:
(1) Length of message: 15 seconds maximum;
(2) Message shall not be repeated more than three times for each dialing; and
(3) Contents: 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. The entire message shall be intelligible.
(d) For alarms of the type described, each such device shall be programmed to first dial the police station, using an unlisted number assigned for that purpose.
(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 to the city by the number of holders of permits for alarms, as described, adding 15% for administration and rounding off to the next highest dollar, except that the minimum charge shall be $5 per month per subscriber. All fees shall be payable on a calendar month basis in advance. Delinquency in excess of ten days shall result in cancellation of the permit or permits.
(Ord. 1985-169, passed 1-6-1986)