8.24.230 False Alarms:
A. It is unlawful to have to maintain on any premises an audible type burglary and/or robbery alarm unless:
1. The alarm will shut itself off after sounding for a period of seven minutes maximum;
2. Unless there is posted at the main entrance to such premises a prominent notice of the telephone numbers at which the person or persons authorized to enter such premises and turn off such alarm can be reached at all times, and it is unlawful for any such person to fail to appear and turnoff any such alarm within one hour after being notified by the police to do so.
B. It is unlawful for anyone to activate any robbery or burglary alarm for the purpose of summoning police except in the event of an actual or attempted burglary or robbery, or for anyone notifying the police of an activated alarm and having knowledge that such activation was apparently caused by an electrical or other malfunction of the alarm system to fail at the same time to notify the police of such apparent malfunction.
C. For a police response to any false alarm the Police Chief shall inform the Finance Director and the Finance Director shall charge and collect from the person having or maintaining such burglary and/or robbery alarm on premises owned or occupied by him fees as follows:
1. For a response to premises at which no other false alarm has occurred within the preceding three (3) month period, hereinafter referred to as a “first response,” no fee shall be charged, but the person having or maintaining such burglary and/or robbery alarm shall, within three (3) working days after notice to do so, make a written report to the Police Chief on forms prescribed by him setting forth the cause of such false alarm, the corrective action taken, whether such alarm has been inspected by an authorized serviceman, and such other information as the Police Chief may reasonably require to determine the cause of such false alarm and corrective action necessary.
2. For a second response to a premises within three (3) months after a first response, a fee of fifty dollars ($50) shall be charged and a written report shall be required as for a first response and the Police Chief shall be authorized to inspect or cause to be inspected the alarm system at such premises, prescribe necessary corrective action, and shall give notice to the person having or maintaining such alarm system of the conditions and requirements of this section.
3. For a third response to premises within three (3) months after such a second response, and for all succeeding responses within three (3) months of the last response, a fee of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be charged, and if such third false alarm or any such succeeding false alarm is as a result of failure to take necessary corrective action prescribed by the Police Chief, the Police Chief may order the disconnection of such alarm system and it shall be unlawful to reconnect such alarm system until such corrective action is taken; provided, that no disconnection shall be ordered as to any premises required by law to have an alarm system in operation. (Ord. 1981, 11/14/00; Ord. 1891, 12/14/99; Ord. 1365, 1989; Ord. 927, 1979)