[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of the City of Muskego 12-23-1964 by Ord. No.
1 as § 12.18 of the 1964 Code. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
Although the City of Muskego recognizes that alarm systems serve
a public service, it is the intent of this chapter to establish standards
and regulations for all alarm systems as defined in this chapter in
the City of Muskego in order to prevent responses by the Police or
Fire Department when an emergency situation does not exist due to
carelessness, improper maintenance or any other cause which results
in false alarms from privately owned, commercially owned, leased or
contracted alarm systems in that a large number of such false alarms
have been received by the Police and Fire Departments. Such false
alarms initiate police and fire personnel and vehicle response which
results in unnecessary expense to the City, increases the risk of
damage to property or injury to persons and dilutes the police and
fire protection available to other areas of the City. Such false alarms,
therefore, constitute a public nuisance which must be abated and/or
penalized.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any premises or property delineated on the application. No
single alarm location may be granted more than one alarm permit. The
Common Council reserves the right to designate a specific premises
or property as one alarm location.
The person filing for a permit.
Any facility other than the Muskego police or fire station
which receives signals from alarm systems and alerts the Police or
Fire Department of the need to make an emergency response to the signal.
A signal, regardless of how received, resulting in a response
by Police or Fire Department personnel when an emergency situation
does not exist. An emergency situation exists when an emergency response
is substantiated to the satisfaction of the Police or Fire Department.
Any system which emits either an audible or visual signal,
or both, on the exterior of any property and is not connected to any
other location by any means. This does not include any device designed
solely for the purpose of alerting a building's occupants of
fire, smoke or illegal entry, or any alarm devices on automobiles.
Any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity,
whether singular or plural.
Any device designed and installed solely for the purpose
of detecting and signaling the Police or Fire Department, directly
or via a central alarm station, to make an emergency response to the
signal's location.
DIRECT PRIVATE ALARM SYSTEMAny private alarm system which is in any way linked to the Police or Fire Department.
INDIRECT PRIVATE ALARM SYSTEMAny private alarm system which is in any way linked to a central alarm station.
A.
The owner, occupant or person in control of premises protected by
any type or number of alarm systems as defined herein is required
to obtain an alarm permit. No owner, occupant or person in control
of property shall cause to be placed in operation any alarm system
for which a permit has not been issued or for which a permit has been
canceled.
A.
All applications for a permit shall be made to the City Clerk's
office on a form prescribed by the Chief of Police.
B.
The application shall contain the following information:
(2)
Types and number of alarm systems on alarm location.
(3)
Name and address of alarm location.
(4)
All names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons able to respond
to the alarm location within 1/2 hour after activation.
(5)
Identification of the firm or person installing the alarm system.
(6)
Name of the central alarm station if applicable.
(7)
Agent for applicant if the same is a corporation or partnership.
(8)
Any other information deemed necessary by the Chief of Police or
Fire Chief.
C.
No information contained in an application for an alarm permit shall
be deemed to be public information. Unauthorized release of permit
information is deemed to be a compromise of public safety.
All persons having an alarm system currently on premises shall
obtain a permit within 60 days of the effective date of this chapter.
For all alarm systems in operation on the effective date of this chapter,
no permit fee shall be charged if a permit is obtained within 60 days
of the effective date of this chapter.
Any person, company, organization or other entity granted an
alarm permit covered by this chapter shall be capable of having a
service representative or other authorized key holder respond to the
alarm location within 30 minutes after activation.
A.
The Police Chief may issue an alarm permit to any owner, occupant
or person in control of premises protected by an alarm system as defined
herein that meets the following conditions:
[Amended 4-6-1989 by Ord. No. 639]
(1)
The applicant has properly prepared and filed an application for
the same.
(2)
The applicant has paid all applicable permit fees.
(3)
The alarm system has approval of Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc.,
or other nationally recognized testing service.
(5)
The local alarm system has or will have a device which will shut
off any audible signal automatically within 15 minutes after activation.
(7)
The applicant hold the City of Muskego harmless for any and all damages
or losses resulting from the existence of the applicant's alarm
system.
(8)
The applicant agrees to follow alarm testing procedures set forth
by the Chief of Police and Fire Chief and will assume any expenses
for testing the alarm system.
(9)
The applicant accepts that a violation of any provision or condition
of this chapter is cause for revocation of the permit by the City
of Muskego.
B.
Additionally, any applicant for a direct private alarm system permit
agrees to the following conditions:
(1)
Equipment must meet at least minimum standards as set forth in the
Federal Bank Protection Act of 1968.
(2)
Applicant agrees to install at his or her expense at the Police or
Fire Department switchboard termination point equipment which is designated
by the Chief of Police or Fire Chief.
(3)
Applicant agrees to assume all costs of installation, maintenance
and monthly rental of telephone lines used by the applicant for such
alarm.
(4)
The applicant assumes responsibility and expense for the removal
of the alarm system when the service is disconnected or the permit
is revoked.
No person, firm or corporation shall use or cause to be used
any telephone or electronic device or attachment which automatically
selects a public primary telephone trunk line of the Police or Fire
Department and then reproduces any prerecorded message to report any
intrusion, robbery or other emergency, nor will the installation of
a private telephone and trunk line for this purpose be allowed.
Any person aggrieved by any administrative determination of the Common Council under this chapter may have such determination reviewed as provided by Chapter 6, Administrative Review, of the City Code or by writ of certiorari to the Circuit Court within 30 days of final determination, or as further outlined in the Municipal Code of the City of Muskego.
[Added 11-11-1986 by Ord. No. 558]
The owner, occupant or person in control of an alarm location
protected by any alarm system or alarm systems as defined herein is
prohibited from allowing any false alarm, whether intended or unintended.
A.
False alarms.
(1)
The owner, occupant or person in control of an alarm location protected
by any alarm system or alarm systems as defined herein, upon conviction,
is subject to the following penalties, regardless of cause, each time
a signal, regardless of how received, results in a response by the
Police or Fire Department when an emergency situation does not exist:
(2)
The above schedule is per calendar year. In default of payment, said
fines shall be included as a special charge against the property tax
on the subject property. Additionally, said conviction shall be a
basis for revocation or denial of any alarm permit.
B.
Any other violation of this chapter. Any owner, occupant or person in control of an alarm location protected by an alarm system in violation of this chapter, other than those offenses defined in Subsection A, shall upon conviction be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-4 of this Code. Additionally, said conviction shall be a basis for revocation or denial of any alarm permit. Every day upon which any such violation exists constitutes a separate offense.
