[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Lawrence 9-8-2008; amended in its entirety at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The primary purpose of this chapter is to reduce the incidence of false alarms by eliminating those false alarms which are preventable or avoidable. It is also meant to encourage the installation of reliable emergency alarm systems in all structures within the Town in order to provide additional protection to persons and property from fire, crime, including burglary, robbery and vandalism, and others hazards that may constitute a danger to persons and property. This chapter is intended to impose standards and requirements for false alarms from such causes as the negligence of the user of an alarm system or of his employees in operating the system, the maintenance of equipment or the sale, installation or servicing of such installations. This chapter will provide a technique of early detection, which will permit the Police Department and Fire Department to increase the present level of protection to persons and property.
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
FALSE ALARM
A signal from an alarm system that alerts the Police/Fire Department that results in an emergency response from the Police/Fire Department when a situation of emergency does not exist.
LOCAL ALARM
An intrusion/burglar alarm system or fire alarm that gives a signal, either visual or audible or both, on the exterior or interior portion of the property but does not leave that structure to a central control receiving location. Not to include detectors such as smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors, medical alarms such as Lifeline®, septic tank alarms or electrical problem indicators. For the most part, these are standalone alarms designed to warn persons inside the structure.
POLICE OR FIRE ALARM
Any device designed to detect a fire or other emergency and alert the Police Department or Fire Department of such occurrence and, when activated, gives a signal, either visual or audible, or transmits or causes to be transmitted an alarm signal, or a combination of any of the above.
SECURITY ALARM SYSTEM
Any device designed for the detection of an unauthorized entry to the premises, an unlawful act or any emergency that alerts the Police Department of its commission or occurrence and, when activated, gives an internal or external signal, either visual or audible, or transmits or causes to be transmitted a signal, or any combination of the above.
A. 
Required. No person shall install or cause to be installed any alarm system, as defined above, for any premises in the Town until an alarm permit therefor has been issued by the Town, with the following exception: not to include detectors such as smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors, medical alarms such as Lifeline®, septic tank alarms or electrical problem indicators. For the most part, these are standalone alarms designed to warn persons inside the structure.
B. 
Application for permit. An application for an alarm permit shall be provided by the Town and shall require an applicant to furnish information sufficient to identify the applicant, the location of the premises to be protected by the alarm system and such other information as the Police or Fire Department may deem necessary for safe and proper emergency response. The annual alarm permit fee for a full or partial calendar year beginning January 1 and expiring December 31 of each year, in an amount as set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board, shall be collected at the time of application. A permit shall be required for each premises alarmed or each separate alarm system on a single premises.
C. 
Issuance of alarm permit. The Town Clerk/Treasurer shall issue an alarm permit to the applicant. The alarm permit shall be issued for a period not to exceed 12 months, expiring on December 31 of each year. Applicants that are denied alarm permits may appeal the denial to the Town Board.
D. 
Existing alarm systems. For those systems installed on premises within the Town prior to December 31, 2015, a permit shall be obtained within 60 days after the effective date of this chapter. With respect to any alarm system installed after the effective date of this chapter, a permit must be issued before the alarm system is installed.
A. 
Duty to maintain alarm system. The property owner shall be responsible for maintaining the alarm system in proper working order.
B. 
Duty to respond to alarm. The owner of premises protected by an alarm system must respond to the protected premises within 30 minutes of notification of an alarm. The owner/key holder is to assist police officers in gaining access to the building for the purpose of inspection. The owner/key holder is also responsible for shutting off and/or resetting the alarm system. Under no circumstances shall a member of the Police Department or Fire Department reset an alarm. The owner of an alarmed premises shall provide current information on persons/key holders to be contacted in the owner's absence.
C. 
Time delay and shutoff. All security alarm systems shall be equipped with a twenty-second time delay in cases where the alarm is accidentally tripped. All local alarms shall be equipped with a fifteen-minute automatic shutoff or some other secure means of turning off the alarm.
A. 
Special charges for false alarms.
(1) 
After the alarm system has been installed for 30 days, the owner shall be subject to a special charge for each false alarm in a twelve-month period, per calendar year, January 1 through December 31 of each year, in such amounts as set from time to time by resolution of the Town Board.
(2) 
Exceptions:
(a) 
Municipal alarms.
(b) 
False alarms caused by outside sources.
(c) 
Detectors such as smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors, medical alarms (Lifeline®), septic tank alarms or electrical problem indicators. For the most part, these are standalone alarms designed to warn persons inside the structure.
(d) 
Motor vehicle alarms. This chapter shall not apply to audible alarms affixed to motor vehicles.
(3) 
Waiver. Any special charge may be waived by the Town Clerk/Treasurer or his designee if the owner can show that:
(a) 
The false alarm was caused by an outside source beyond the owner's control.
(b) 
The alarm was properly maintained and the false alarm was not the result of negligence on the part of the owner, his agent or employees.
B. 
Collection of special charges. Special charges for false alarms, as provided in Subsection A(1) above, shall be billed to the owner and, if not timely paid, shall be placed on the tax roll pursuant to the provisions of § 66.0627, Wis. Stats., for collection and settlement under Ch. 74, Wis. Stats.
A. 
Permit cancellation; alarm disconnection. Whenever there is a record of an excessive number of alarms or the operation of the alarm system is not consistent with the purpose of this chapter, the Town Clerk/Treasurer or his designee may, in writing, require the owner to repair or replace the alarm system within 10 days. If the repair or replacement is not made within 10 days, the Town Clerk/Treasurer or his designee may order the alarm permit canceled and the alarm disconnected. No person shall continue to operate an alarm system for which an alarm permit has been canceled.
B. 
Telephone alarm dialers. Telephone alarm dialers are not permitted to be programmed to direct dial the Police or Fire Department, except by special permission of the Town Clerk/Treasurer or his designee.
C. 
Limitations of liability. The Town shall not be liable for any defects in any alarm system or the central board, or any transmission malfunctions or delays.
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-3 of this Code.