[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:
Any business in which the owners or employees engage in the
activity of altering, installing, leasing, maintaining, repairing,
replacing, selling or servicing alarm systems.
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.
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.
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.
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.
An alarm system in which the signal transmission is initiated
by the action of the robber.
An alarm system signaling an entry or attempted entry into
the area protected by the system.
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.
An alarm system signaling a robbery or attempted robbery.
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.
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.
[Ord. No. 90,
§ 10, eff. 7-11-1990]
Any person violating any provision of this article shall be punished as provided in section 1-11.
