(a) Use. The design of the official emblems of the Divisions of the Department of Public Safety is the property of the City and shall only be used for official City business. Such emblems shall not be reproduced or used by employees for matters that are not related to official City business, nor shall they be used by any person not affiliated with the respective Division, except as otherwise authorized by the Director of Public Safety.
(b) Penalties. Whoever violates division (a) of this section is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor and the offender shall be sentenced pursuant to ORC 2929.21 to 2929.28, except that the offender shall not be sentenced to a jail term nor sentenced to a community residential sanction pursuant to ORC 2929.26. Notwithstanding ORC 2929.28(A)(2)(a), the offender may be fined up to one thousand dollars ($1,000) and, notwithstanding ORC 2929.27(A)(3), the offender may be ordered pursuant to division (C) of that section to serve a term of community service of up to five hundred (500) hours. The failure of an offender to complete a term of community service imposed by the court may be punished as indirect criminal contempt under ORC 2705.02(A) and may be filed in the underlying case.
(Ord. 2020-19. Adopted 08/13/20; Ord. 2022-28. Adopted 08/25/22)
240.09 FALSE ALARMS.
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to protect the services provided by the Public Safety Department's Divisions from misuse by responding to defective alarm systems and excessive false alarms. This section governs and regulates alarm systems, alarm users and alarm businesses.
(b) Requirements.
(1) Alarm systems that automatically dial or call the Emergency Communications Division must occur on a special telephone line designated for that purpose and shall comply with the following regulations:
A. The total length of the recorded message being transmitted to the Emergency Communications Division, including repetition of the message, shall not exceed thirty (30) seconds in length.
B. The recorded message being transmitted shall be repeated not less than three (3) nor more than four (4) times and shall have an automatic abort feature to ensure compliance herewith.
C. The recorded message being transmitted shall incorporate language specifically identifying the message as a recording, with the balance of the message identifying, by street number and street name, the location of the emergency and the nature of the event (intrusion or fire) which caused the alarm system to activate. If the location of the event signaled by the alarm system is in a multi-family building, the message shall also identify, by number and floor, the particular dwelling unit, office unit or commercial unit in which the event occurred.
D. The recorded message being transmitted shall be appropriate for the purpose for which the alarm system was installed, and the message, in its entirety, shall be intelligible and spoken in the English language.
E. Each alarm system shall comply with applicable building codes and fire codes.
(2) Alarms shall not resemble the sound of any emergency signal or civil defense alarm or siren in use by the Emergency Communications Division. All alarms, except fire alarm systems, shall have the capacity to reset themselves within fifteen (15) minutes from the time they are received.
(3) Emergency Contact Requirements:
A. Every business alarm user shall have at least one (1) person on the premises at all times the business is occupied, who is knowledgeable in the operation of the alarm system.
B. Every business alarm user shall provide to the Emergency Communications Division a current list of three (3) emergency contacts, including their names, email addresses and telephone numbers, who are knowledgeable in the operation of the alarm system and can provide access to the building or structure affected.
C. Any change in emergency contacts shall be reported to the Emergency Communications Division within three (3) business days of such change.
(c) Penalties. Except as otherwise provided, whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of an unclassified misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50) nor more than one hundred dollars ($100) for a first offense. For a second or subsequent offense within one (1) calendar year, the offender is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Ord. 2023-33. Adopted 11/21/23; Em. Ord. 2024-01. Adopted 02/08/24; Ord. 2024-02. Adopted 02/22/24)