[R.O. 2011 § 635.010; R.O. 2009 § 118.01; CC 1981 § 16-61; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 86-55, 3-21-1986; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991]
For the purpose of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALARM AGENT
Any person who is employed by an alarm business, either directly or indirectly, whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing on or in any building, structure or facility any alarm system.
ALARM BUSINESS
Any business engaged in any of the activities of selling, installing, servicing, altering, leasing, repairing, maintaining, replacing, moving, monitoring or responding to an alarm system or causing any of these activities to take place.
ALARM IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
A number issued to an alarm subscriber by the Police Department for the purpose of identifying that alarm system for dispatching and record keeping purposes.
ALARM SUBSCRIBER
Any person who leases, contracts for, buys or otherwise obtains and operates an alarm system for the purpose of obtaining a response to the alarm from the Police Department or the Fire Department and on whose premises an alarm system is maintained, excluding audible alarms on motor vehicles. The owner of any building, structure or facility containing alarm systems installed in or on leased or rented individual apartments or residences contained therein shall be deemed the alarm subscriber.
ALARM SYSTEM
Any device which is designed or used for the detection of burglary or attempted burglary or for alerting others of the commission of a robbery or attempted robbery within a building, structure or facility, or both, and which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when activated for the purpose of deterring the intruder or notifying another person of the happening, or both; or a device for detecting fire or alerting medical personnel.
AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE
Refers to an alarm system which automatically sends over the telephone switching network a prerecorded voice message or coded signal indicating existence of an unlawful act to which a Police response is requested.
CHIEF OF POLICE
The Chief of the St. Charles Police Department or his/her designated representative.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system whereby police, fire or medical personnel are summoned to a location and no criminal, fire or medical emergency in fact occurred or was attempted. The following shall not be considered false alarms under Section 635.050:
1. 
An alarm caused by severe weather conditions or electric power failure;
2. 
An alarm caused by or resulting from damage, testing or repair of telephone equipment or lines by the telephone company, provided that such incidents are promptly reported to the telephone company;
3. 
An alarm caused by an attempted and unauthorized or illegal entry, of which there is visible evidence;
4. 
An alarm caused by vandalism or destruction of property, of which there is visible evidence;
5. 
An alarm intentionally caused by the resident or occupant acting under a reasonable belief that a need exists to call in reference to an emergency.
PERSONS
An individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
TELEPHONE COMPANY
The utility that furnishes telephone service to the City area.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.020; R.O. 2009 § 118.02; CC 1981 § 16-63; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-17-1984]
All alarm sounding reported, either directly or by relay from an alarm business, shall be done in a manner prescribed by the Chief of Police.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.030; R.O. 2009 § 118.03; CC 1981 § 16-64; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-17-1984; Ord. No. 86-55, 3-18-1986; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991; Ord. No. 97-215, 6-18-1997]
A. 
Upon receipt of the first and second false alarms within any calendar year, a warning notice shall be issued by the Police Department to the subscriber.
B. 
Upon receipt of the third false alarm and any subsequent false alarms within any calendar year, a civil penalty in the amount stated in Section 150.030 shall be levied upon the alarm subscriber for each false alarm made. Failure to pay the civil penalty within thirty (30) days of demand by the Police Department shall constitute a violation of this Article and can result in the service rendered by the Police Department being suspended.
[Ord. No. 22-166, 12-20-2022]
C. 
Each and every false alarm upon which a response is made shall be considered a separate false alarm regardless of the frequency of such alarms.
D. 
Response to any alarm system can be terminated upon authority of the Police Chief.
E. 
The making of any false alarm by the alarm subscriber is declared to be unlawful if the alarm subscriber has had two (2) previous false alarms within that same calendar year. This offense shall be one of strict liability.
F. 
Schools offering basic education to any grade (K–12) shall be exempt from the requirements of Section 635.030.
[Ord. No. 15-068 § 1, 4-21-2015]
[1]
Cross Reference: As to penalty, § 635.150.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.040; R.O. 2009 § 118.04; CC 1981 § 16-65; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 85-3, 1-10-1985; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991]
The Police Department shall cancel any notice or fine upon satisfactory proof by the alarm subscriber that a particular alarm falls within the exceptions enumerated under "FALSE ALARM" in Section 635.010.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.050; R.O. 2009 § 118.05; CC 1981 § 16-66; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991]
A. 
Automatic Dialing Devices. No person shall use, operate or install any device that will, upon activation, automatically initiate a telephone call and deliver a recorded alarm message to any telephone of a customer of the public telephone company, without the prior written consent of such customer.
B. 
Noise. All bells, sirens or other noise sources that sound in the event of an alarm are to cut off automatically within fifteen (15) minutes after the alarm has been activated.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.060; R.O. 2009 § 118.06; CC 1981 § 16-67; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991]
A. 
Any person engaging in the alarm business and each alarm agent shall have upon their person an identification card as hereinafter set forth and each alarm agent is required to maintain on his/her person and shall produce such identification card upon request by any customer, prospective customer or lawful authority.
B. 
The identification card must contain as a minimum the following information:
1. 
Full face photograph, head size not less than one (1) inch vertical;
2. 
Name, height, weight, date of birth;
3. 
Name of employing company;
4. 
Capacity with the company (sales representative, repair technician, installer and the like);
5. 
Signature of authorizing individual of company; and
6. 
Signature of holder.
C. 
The identification card shall be issued annually by an alarm business to its agents and employees.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.070; R.O. 2009 § 118.07; CC 1981 § 16-68; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984]
It shall be unlawful for any person engaging in the alarm business or alarm agent to adjust, alter, fix or change any alarm system or part thereof without written disclosure to the alarm subscriber.
[1]
Cross Reference: As to penalty, § 635.150.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.080; R.O. 2009 § 118.08; CC 1981 § 16-69; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984]
No alarm agent or alarm business shall sell, lease or install any alarm system without first furnishing the alarm subscriber or prospective alarm subscriber with a written offer in which each opening, item or area to be protected is identified and the device to be used is described in generic terms. Upon the installation of an alarm system, the alarm agent or business shall furnish the alarm subscriber with instruction on the operation of the system.
[1]
Cross Reference: As to penalty, § 635.150.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.090; R.O. 2009 § 118.09; CC 1981 § 16-70; Ord. No. 84-82, 7-24-1984]
A. 
Any person engaging in the alarm business shall obtain a license as hereinafter set forth. The fee for such business license shall be the amount stated in Section 150.030 per year for each such business.
[Ord. No. 22-168, 12-20-2022]
B. 
The applicant for such alarm business license shall supply all information requested on forms supplied by the Director of Finance.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.100; R.O. 2009 § 118.10; CC 1981 § 16-71; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984]
A. 
The provisions of Sections 635.060 through 635.090 do not apply to:
1. 
Persons engaged solely in the manufacture or sale of alarm systems or components from a fixed location and who do not install, maintain, service or plan the alarm system for any location.
2. 
Persons engaged in the repair of alarm systems or components from a fixed location and who do not either personally or through an agent visit the building, structure or facility in which the alarm system is installed.