City of Bridgeton, MO Emergency Alarm Systems

An electrically operated instrument composed of sensory apparatus and related hardware which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a pre-recorded voice alarm upon receipt of a stimulus from the sensory apparatus that has detected a physical force or condition inherently characteristic of a fire or unauthorized intrusion.

DIRECTOR

The acting City Clerk or his authorized representative.

EMERGENCY ALARM

Any device which, when actuated by a criminal act, fire, unauthorized intrusion or other emergency, activates a local noise-making device, or transmits a pre-recorded message or other signal by telephone, radio or other means to a central station, modified central station, licensed answering service, or directly to the communications center of the Bridgeton Police Department.

FALSE ALARM

Any emergency alarm which is actuated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional act, or intentionally for any purpose other than to summon the Police Department in the belief that a need exists for such summons, to which the Police Department responds, including alarms caused by the malfunction of the alarm system, except that the following shall not be considered false alarms:

Alarms caused by the malfunction indicator in the Bridgeton Police Department.

Alarms caused by the testing or repair of telephone equipment or lines.

Alarms caused by an act of God, such as earthquakes, floods, windstorms, thunder or lightning.

Alarms caused by an attempted illegal entry, of which there is visible evidence.

Alarms intentionally caused by the resident acting under a sincere belief that a need exists to call the Police Department.

Alarms followed by a call to the Police Station canceling the alarm by giving the proper code number, prior to the arrival of the Police Department.

In determining the existence of the false alarms, a decision shall be made in favor of the alarm uses if the Chief of Police finds that a doubt exists to the cause of the alarm.

Section 215.020 Alarm Equipment Suppliers.

[Ord. No. 77-41, §2 (Art. II, §§1-5), 4-6-1977]

Application for License. Each alarm equipment supplier now engaged in selling, leasing or installing emergency alarm systems in Bridgeton shall apply to the Director for a license on a form to be provided by the Director.

[Ord. No. 22-18, 5-4-2022]

Such application shall be filed within thirty (30) days of June 2, 2022. Any person who desires to become an alarm equipment supplier selling, leasing or installing emergency alarm systems in Bridgeton shall first apply to the Director for a license on such form. The application shall include the following information:

The name, address and telephone number of the applicant;

The business or trade name, address and telephone number of the applicant;

(1)

If an unincorporated association, the names and addresses of the associates;

(2)

If a corporation or other business entity, the corporation's or entity's registered name and the names and addresses of the officers of the corporation or entity;

(3)

If an individual proprietorship, the name and address of the proprietor;

The address of all offices of the alarm business in the City of Bridgeton;

The name and address of any employee, agent, corporate officer, partner or business associate whose position in the alarm business gives him or her access to information in the installation and use of alarm systems for alarm users;

Specifications of the alarm systems to be dealt in;

A copy of the instructions provided to alarm users;

A statement of repair and maintenance service to be made available to applicant's customers;

Name and address of the person designated by the applicant to receive notice issued under this Chapter;

A statement that the applicant is willing to comply with such reasonable rules and regulations about details of installation and operation of such systems as may be issued by the Director; and

Signature of the applicant.

A person applying for a renewal of a license shall file his or her application not less than ten (10) days before his or her license expires.

Upon the filing of a license application, the Director shall conduct an investigation to determine whether the following requirements are satisfied:

That the information contained in the license application is true;

That the applicant for a license or an individual who is an employee, agent, corporate officer, partner or business associate of the applicant has not had a license revoked within one (1) year immediately preceding the date the license application is filed or does not have a license that is currently suspended;

That neither the applicant nor any employee, agent, corporate officer, partner or business associate whose position in the alarm business gives him or her access to information in the installation and use of alarm systems for alarm users, has been convicted of the following:

(1)

Any felony involving moral turpitude within the previous five (5) years;

(2)

Any misdemeanor involving moral turpitude within the previous two (2) years; or

(3)

Repeated or continual violation of any provision of this Chapter within the previous two (2) years.

That the types of alarm systems, the instructions for the alarm systems and repair and maintenance services available through applicant's alarm business are in compliance with this Chapter.

Action on Application. The Director shall furnish a copy of the application to the Chief of Police for his or her investigation and recommendation. On the basis of the application and the report of the Chief of Police, the Director shall, within sixty (60) days after receipt of the completed application, approve or disapprove such application for a license and shall notify the applicant.

[Ord. No. 22-18, 5-4-2022]

If approved, the applicant shall pay the required fee for the license. If disapproved, the notice to the applicant shall state the reasons. The applicant shall have the right of appeal by the following steps:

A meeting with the Director and Chief of Police; and

If not satisfactorily concluded, then by hearing before the City Council. The City Council's decision shall be final.

A license shall expire on the thirty-first day of December next succeeding issuance thereof except in the following instances:

If an applicant timely applies for a license renewal in accordance with this Section and the determination of the renewal request is delayed beyond the thirty-first of December, the licensee's license is extended pending the determination of the renewal request by the Director.

If an applicant's license has been suspended or revoked.

If an applicant is denied a license solely because an individual who is an employee, agent, corporate officer, partner or business associate of the applicant has been convicted of the offenses listed in Section 215.020(A)(3)(c), or had a license revoked within one (1) year immediately preceding the date the license application is filed, or has a license that is currently suspended, then said applicant, upon disassociation with said individual, may re-apply for a license.

Instructions on Operation. Each alarm equipment supplier shall furnish each alarm user with written instructions as to the way in which the device operates. He shall also provide the initial training in the operation of the system and, upon request from the alarm user, refresher training. Each alarm supplier shall also exhibit to the Director for his review a copy of such instructions. If the Director finds that the instructions are incomplete, unclear or otherwise inadequate, he may require the alarm equipment supplier to have the same revised to meet the Director's approval and then promptly distributed to persons from whom installations of such alarms have already been made as well as to persons for whom installations are henceforth made.

Repair Service Required. Each alarm equipment supplier must offer service, directly or through an agent, to repair each alarm supplied so as to correct any malfunction that may occur. At the time of installation, each alarm equipment supplier shall have furnish to the alarm user written information as to how service can be obtained at any time, including the telephone number to call for service; and the alarm user shall be responsible for having the system repaired as quickly as possible after he learns of any malfunction. No alarm equipment supplier shall perform any service on any alarm system terminating in the Bridgeton Police Department without first personally appearing and notifying the Bridgeton Police Dispatcher on duty of same and disconnecting said alarm system at the alarm user's and again notifying the Dispatcher of the completion of the work.

If any alarm system service company shall fail to check in with the Bridgeton Police Department before servicing such system, or shall fail to disconnect such system so that it is no longer in service during the period when it is being worked on, such alarm service company shall pay to the City of Bridgeton service charges in the amounts and on the basis set forth as false alarms service charge in Section 215.060 (A) of this Chapter.

Cancellation of License. In addition to the penalties described below for violation of any provision of this Chapter, the City may after notice and hearing cancel the license of an alarm equipment supplier on any of the following grounds:

Fraud, misrepresentation or false statement contained in any application for such license.

Fraud, misrepresentation or false statement in the conduct of the business authorized by such license.

Failure to correct any deficiencies in equipment of operation after receipt of due notice from the City.

Violation of any provision of this Chapter.

Such license shall not be canceled until a hearing shall have been held by the Director and his recommendations regarding cancellation acted upon by the City Council. Written notice of such hearing shall be served upon the holder of such license at least ten (10) days before the date of the hearing. The notice shall also contain a brief statement of the grounds alleged as the basis for cancellation of the license. The licensee shall have the right to appeal to the City Council as outlined in Subsection (B) above.

Section 215.030 Signaling Devices and Automatic Dialing Devices.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2 (Art. III, §§1,2), 4-6-1977]

Police Department Terminals. After the effective date hereof (April 6, 1977), only financial institutions required by regulations of Federal Agencies to have appropriate security devices installed for their protection, commercial and industrial establishments, educational facilities, and governmental offices shall be permitted to have equipment and indicators installed in a panel in the communications center of the Bridgeton Police Department.

Restrictions on Automatic Dialing Devices. Each automatic dialing device installed after the effective date of this Chapter (April 6, 1977), shall be installed on a separate telephone line unless such device incorporates equipment capable of seizing the telephone line and a method to abort a false alarm. No such device shall be keyed to the trunk line of the Bridgeton Police Department.

Section 215.040 Local Alarms.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2(Art. IV), 4-6-1977]

Each emergency alarm system equipped with any exterior sound-producing device, including but not limited to gongs, buzzers, sirens, bells or horns, shall, within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this Chapter (April 6, 1977), be equipped with a time device which limits the operation of such exterior sound-producing device to fifteen (15) minutes.

Section 215.050 Emergency Alarm Installations.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2(Art. V, §§1-3), 4-6-1977]

Permit Required. After the effective date of this Chapter (April 6, 1977), any resident or commercial establishment which desires to install an emergency alarm system shall first apply for and obtain a permit from the Director on a form to be provided by him. Each application shall be signed by the applicant and shall include, among other things, the following:

The name, address and telephone number of the alarm user.

The name and address of the alarm equipment supplier.

The name of the intermediary to which the alarm system will be connected.

The name, address and telephone number of at least one (1) other person with access to the premises protected by the system.

Installations by Licensed Suppliers. No emergency alarm shall be installed by other than an alarm equipment supplier licensed under this Chapter. No alarm equipment supplier shall service emergency alarms unless the supplier is licensed under this Chapter. Emergency alarm indicators installed in a panel in the communications center of the Bridgeton Police Department shall be accomplished only by the alarm agency designated by the Chief of Police.

Operational Requirements. All emergency alarm systems shall be subject to the following operational requirements:

The sensory mechanism used in connection with such alarms must be adjusted to the degree reasonably possible to suppress false indications of fire or intrusion, so that alarms will not be actuated by natural phenomena, including, but not limited to, transient pressure change in water pipes, short flashes of light, wind noises or exterior pressure change such as rattling or vibration of windows or sonic booms, and vehicular noise adjacent to the installation.

The alarm user shall be responsible for maintaining the system in good repair to assure reliability of operation.

The alarm user shall also be responsible for seeing that the alarm system is not misused.

All systems installed after the effective date of this Chapter (April 6, 1977), and, beginning June 1, 1977, all systems heretofore installed, must have a standby power supply for both the control panel and the phone lines. This secondary source of power shall be so installed that if the main source of power fails the system will not cause a false alarm.

All systems installed after this date and, beginning June 1, 1977, all systems heretofore installed, shall be required to have an annual inspection during each calendar year; and it shall be the duty of each alarm user to furnish to the City, between October 1 and December 31 of each year, a certificate evidencing such inspection, on a form to be provided by the Director.

Section 215.060 False Alarms Service Charge.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2 (Art. VI, §§1,2), 4-6-1977]

All false alarms to which the Police Department responds shall result in the following service charges to the alarm user: Five dollars ($5.00) for the first such false alarm; fifteen dollars ($15.00) for the second such false alarm; and twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each such additional false alarm within any calendar year.

Refusal to pay any fee service charge or penalty charged by the City within a period of thirty (30) days shall be considered a violation of this Chapter.

Section 215.070 Schedule of Fees.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2(Art. VII §§1-3), 4-6-1977; Ord. No. 78-157 §5, 12-20-1978; Ord. No. 89-75 §1, 8-16-1989]

Alarm Equipment Suppliers. The fee for a license for an alarm equipment supplier shall be hundred dollars ($100.00) per year.

Alarms Terminating at the Bridgeton Police Station. Each alarm user with an indicator installed in the communications center of the Bridgeton Police Station and each alarm user with an automatic dialing device terminating in a signal in the Bridgeton Police Department shall pay an annual fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) effective January 1, 1977.

Date of Assessment. All licenses, permits and fees due to the City under the terms of this Chapter shall be due and payable on January 1 of each year.

Section 215.080 Non-Liability of City.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2 (Art. VIII), 4-6-1977]

The City shall take every reasonable precaution to assure that alarm signals received by the City are given appropriate attention and are acted upon with dispatch. Nevertheless, the City shall not be liable for any defect in operation of automatic dialing devices or signal line systems, for any failure or neglect to respond appropriately upon receipt of an alarm from such a source, nor for the failure or neglect of any person licensed pursuant to this Chapter. In the event that the City finds it necessary to disconnect an emergency alarm system, the City shall incur no liability by such action.

Section 215.090 Penalties.

[Ord. No. 77-41 §2 (Art. X), 4-6-1977]

Anyone violating the provisions of this Chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be subject to a fine of not less than ten dollars ($10.00), nor more than one hundred dollars ($100.00). Each day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.

Section 215.100 Power to Investigate.

[Ord. No. 22-18, 5-4-2022]

For the purpose of enforcing this Chapter, the Director shall have the power to make an investigation, and to the extent necessary for this purpose, he or she may examine a licensee or any other persons and shall have the power to compel the production of all relevant books, accounts, documents and other records.