(a) It is found that two (2) or more false alarms within a three hundred sixty-five (365) day period is excessive and constitutes a public nuisance. A fee for false alarms within a three hundred sixty-five (365) day period shall be assessed as follows:
(1) If the alarm site has a properly registered alarm user:
(A) For the first false alarm, whether a burglary alarm or a panic, holdup, or duress alarm activation there shall be no assessment;
(B) For the second false alarm whether a burglary alarm or a panic, holdup, or duress alarm activation the assessment shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00) but is eligible to be waived under subsection (g) if the alarm user completes an alarm user awareness class within ninety (90) days of receipt of the invoice;
(C) For the third through seventh burglary false alarms the assessment shall be one hundred dollars ($100.00) except that for a panic, holdup, or duress false alarm the assessment shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00);
(D) For all subsequent false alarms after the seventh burglary false alarm, the assessment shall be two hundred dollars ($200.00) except that for a panic, holdup, or duress false alarm the assessment shall be three hundred dollars ($300.00) and police response may be suspended after the seventh false alarm regardless of alarm type.
(2) If the alarm site does not have a properly registered alarm user:
(A) The assessment for the first false alarm shall be the same as specified in paragraph (1)(b), but shall be waived if the person applies for and obtains an alarm user registration within ten (10) days of receipt of the invoice and completes an alarm user awareness class within ninety (90) days of receipt of the invoice.
(B) The assessment for the second through seventh burglary false alarms and panic, holdup, or duress false alarms shall be the same as specified in paragraph (1)(c); and
(C) For all subsequent false alarms after the seventh burglary false alarm and panic, holdup, or duress false alarm, the assessment shall be shall be the same as specified in paragraph (1)(d) and police response may be suspended after the seventh false alarm regardless of alarm type.
(b) Fees shall be paid within thirty (30) days from the date of the invoice.
(c) Operating an alarm without an alarm registration is subject to a one hundred dollar ($100.00) service fee, in addition to the assessments provided for in subsection (a) for each false alarm activation to partially recover the costs of the police response.
(d) Failure to pay any fee within ninety (90) days of its due date may result in the immediate suspension of the alarm registration and police response.
(e) An alarm user at an alarm site with ten (10) or more false alarms within a three hundred sixty-five (365) day period is guilty of a class 1 misdemeanor and shall discontinue operation of the alarm system. Failure to do so may result in the immediate suspension of the alarm registration and police response.
(f) The three hundred sixty-five (365) day period specified in section (a) shall begin upon submission of a completed registration application.
(g) The completion of the alarm user awareness class will result in the waiver of one hundred dollars ($100.00) in assessment fees and may be applied to any false alarm occurrence within the three hundred sixty-five (365) day period.
(h) If the alarm user presents a written agreement with their alarm business that the business must contact the user prior to notifying police and can produce evidence that a false alarm was the result of the business not contacting the user, the assessment shall be waived.
(Ord. No. 10967, § 5, 2-28-12, eff. 4-1-12)