[Ord. No. 90, § 2, eff. 7-11-1990]
This article is adopted pursuant to and in accordance with Act No. 246 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1945 (MCL 41.181 et seq., MSA 5.45(1) et seq.), as amended, and Act No. 359 of the Public Acts of Michigan of 1947 (MCL 42.1 et seq., MSA 5.46(1) et seq.), as amended.
[Ord. No. 90, § 3, eff. 7-11-1990]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
ALARM BUSINESS
Any business in which the owners or employees engage in the activity of altering, installing, leasing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, selling or servicing alarm systems.
ALARM SYSTEM
An assembly of equipment and devices or a single device such as a solid state unit which uses electrical energy to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond. In this article, the term "alarm system" shall include but not be limited to the terms "automatic holdup alarm systems," "burglar alarm systems," "holdup alarm systems" and "manual holdup alarm systems" as those terms are defined in this section. Fire alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor temperature, humidity or any other condition not directly related to the detection of an unauthorized intrusion into premises or an attempted robbery at premises are specifically excluded from the provisions of this article. Also excluded from this definition and from the coverage of this article are alarm systems used to alert or signal persons within the premises in which the alarm system is located, of an attempted unauthorized intrusion or holdup attempt. If a system employs an audible signal emitting sounds or a flashing light or beacon designed to signal persons outside the premises, the system shall be within the definition of alarm system and shall be subject to this article.
ANNUNCIATOR
The instrumentation on an alarm console at the receiving terminal of a signal line which through both visual and audible signals shows that an alarm device at a particular location has been activated, or indicates line trouble.
ANSWERING SERVICE
A telephone answering service providing among its services the service of receiving on a continuous basis through trained employees, emergency signals from alarm systems, and thereafter immediately relaying the message by live voice to the communication center of the police department.
AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE
An alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a prerecorded voice message or coded signal indicating the existence of the emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.
AUTOMATIC HOLDUP ALARM SYSTEM
An alarm system in which the signal transmission is initiated by the action of the robber.
BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEM
An alarm system signaling an entry or attempted entry into the area protected by the system.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, without an unlawful entry, or through the negligence of the owner or lessee of an alarm system or of his employees or agents or other cause.
HOLDUP ALARM SYSTEM
An alarm system signaling a robbery or attempted robbery.
MANUAL HOLDUP ALARM SYSTEM
An alarm system in which the signal transmission is initiated by the direct action of the person attacked or by an observer of the attack.
SUBSCRIBER
A person who buys or leases, or otherwise obtains an alarm signaling system and contracts with or hires an alarm business to monitor or service the alarm device.
[Ord. No. 90, § 4, eff. 7-11-1990]
(a) 
No person shall interconnect any automatic dialing device to a police department primary trunkline, and no person shall permit such devices to remain interconnected from any property owned or controlled by that person. Such devices may be interconnected to a modified central station or an answering service. Relaying messages so received to the police department shall only be done person to person on the telephone line designated by the police chief. The police chief may approve a direct line installation between a modified central station or an answering service to the police department, with full costs to be borne by the intermediate service.
(b) 
The alarm user will provide the police department with the name, telephone number and address of the premises where the alarm is located and the names and telephone numbers of at least two other persons who have agreed in writing to cooperate in this program, who can be reached at any time, day or night, and who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by the automatic alarm device, and who can open the premises where the device is installed. If any such person refuses to cooperate with the police department, such refusal shall be a violation of this article. If any such person withdraws his agreement to cooperate, the alarm user will at once furnish another person who has consented and meets the qualifications set out in this section.
(c) 
No person shall use or install, or direct to be installed, any audible alarm system which emits a sound and/or visual signal for a period longer than 15 minutes from the time of the initial signaling of the device.
(d) 
Separate systems are required whenever a single building contains more than one unit of occupancy and each unit has a separate entrance. If such occupant elects to install an alarm system, that person shall be required to have a separate alarm system for each business located in such building. Whenever a multiple housing residential structure shall have separate entrances for each occupancy unit, and such occupant elects to have an alarm system, each separate entrance to the occupancy unit shall contain separate alarm systems.
[Ord. No. 90, § 5, eff. 7-11-1990]
(a) 
No alarm system designed to transmit emergency messages directly to the police department shall be tested or demonstrated without first notifying the police department dispatcher.
(b) 
No alarm system relayed through intermediate services to the police department will be tested to determine response without first notifying the police dispatcher.
[Ord. No. 90, § 6, eff. 7-11-1990]
When an alarm business service to its subscribers is disrupted for any reason by the alarm business, or the alarm business becomes aware of such disruption, it shall promptly notify its subscribers by telephone that protection is no longer being provided. If, however, the alarm business has written instructions from its subscriber not to make such notification by telephone during certain hours, the alarm business may comply with such instructions.
[Ord. No. 90, § 7, eff. 7-11-1990]
(a) 
There is hereby imposed a fee for police response to false alarms. For the first two there shall be no fee, but a warning in writing shall be given. Such fees shall be $25 for the third response in any calendar year, $50 for the fourth response in any calendar year and $100 for all further responses in that calendar year.
(b) 
This fee is imposed whether the police department received the alarm by direct connection or through any intermediary such as an answering service or modified central station. No fee is imposed by this section when the choice is made to notify the police department directly by person of any situation. The fee imposed by this section is imposed solely when the choice is made to employ an alarm system. If the police chief is notified of the date of the installation of the new alarm system, the fee imposed by this section is waived for a ninety-day period beginning with the date of installation.
(c) 
The police department shall mail a false alarm notice to the alarm user following each false alarm occurrence indicating therein the appropriate warning or fee as prescribed by this article.
[Ord. No. 90, § 8, eff. 7-11-1990]
The police chief is authorized to require that the owner or lessee of any alarm system directly connected to the department shall disconnect such device until it is working in such a manner as will not produce a high frequency of false alarms. The police chief shall require disconnection if six or more false alarms are received in any twelve-month period. The police chief may, after giving notice to the subscriber, order disconnection of the system for noncooperation of the subscriber, or for violations of this article. Any use of an alarm by an alarm user after receiving notice from the chief of police that the alarm is defective and before the alarm is repaired is prohibited.
[Ord. No. 90, § 9, eff. 7-11-1990]
In determining whether an alarm is a false alarm, all circumstances shall be considered. Setting off an alarm may cause a person who was attempting a break-in to flee. In investigating whether an alarm is false, a careful check will be made for signs of attempts to break in, such as scratches around windows. Alarm conditions caused by the following extenuating circumstances shall not constitute a false alarm, and no false alarm fee shall be charged by the township:
(1) 
Alarm system malfunctions, if corrective measures have been instituted within a seventy-two-hour period with notification to the police department provided that the alarm user presents documentation of repair service having been performed by the alarm company to remedy a malfunction.
(2) 
Alarm conditions being activated by persons working on the alarm system with prior notification to the police department.
(3) 
Alarms which can be substantiated as being activated by disruption or disturbance of telephone company facilities or motor vehicle-utility pole accidents or by storm conditions.