[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
The purpose of this chapter is to regulate the installation
and use of electronic fire, intrusion and holdup alarms. A primary
goal to reduce preventable or avoidable false alarms relayed to the
police and fire departments is needed to insure efficient use of the
city resources and effective response to requests for emergency aid.
It is further intended that persons who cause unnecessary false alarms
should bear costs of emergency services response. This chapter is
further intended to encourage the installation and maintenance of
reliable alarm systems which are an effective means of early detection
of criminal activity or possible property loss thereby increasing
the present level of protection to persons and property and to provide
emergency services with specific information before the alarm to provide
a more safe and effective response to such alarm.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
In this chapter:
Means any person engaged in the activity of altering, installing,
leasing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, selling or servicing alarm
systems with the object of gain, benefit or advantage, either direct
or indirect.
Means any person who has an alarm system installed or maintained
on his or her premises, including but not limited to any person who
buys, leases or otherwise obtains an alarm system and contracts or
hires an alarm business to monitor, maintain or service the alarm
system.
Means an assembly of equipment or devices which receives
electrical energy and is arranged to signal a hazard or intruder requiring
urgent attention and to which the police department or fire department
is expected to respond, including but not limited to automatic holdup
alarm systems, burglar alarm systems, manual holdup alarm systems,
fire alarms, humidity alarms, temperature alarms and pressure alarms.
Means the instrumentation of an alarm console at the receiving
terminal of a signal line through which both visual or audible signals
may show when an alarm device at a location has been activated, malfunctions
or otherwise indicates line activity.
Means a telephone or direct line answering service which
receives emergency signals on a continuous basis from alarm systems
and immediately relays the message by like voice to the appropriate
emergency service.
Means an alarm system which automatically sends a signal
over the telephone lines indicating an emergency situation to which
emergency police department or fire department services are expected
to respond.
Means an alarm system in which the signal transmission is
initiated by the alarm system upon detection of certain actions or
movements of a person robbing or attempting to rob the premises.
Means an alarm system which signals the entry into the area
protected by the system.
Means January 1 through December 31 inclusive.
Means an office to which remote alarm and supervisory signaling
devices are connected, where operators supervise the circuits.
Means activation of an alarm system by mechanical failure,
malfunction, improper installation, negligence of the owner or lessee
of the alarm system, or by an undetermined cause. A false alarm includes
the testing of the alarm system without prior notice to the police
department and fire department of the testing. A false alarm does
not include activation of the alarm system by tornado or severe weather
storm.
Means an alarm system designed to signal fire or smoke in
the protected area which transmits an emergency signal to the fire
department or police department for response.
Means an alarm system which activates the emergency signal
due to a change in humidity in the protected area.
Means to connect an alarm system to a voice grade telephone
line, either directly or through a mechanical device that uses a standard
telephone and telephone line to transmit an emergency message upon
activation of the alarm system.
Means an alarm system in which the signal transmission is
initiated by the direct action of the alarm user indicating a crime
is in progress.
Means any natural person, partnership, association and body
politic and corporate.
Means an alarm system in which the emergency signal is activated
due to a change or drop in pressure, such as the drop in water pressure
in a sprinkler system when activated.
Means a telephone line leading directly into the emergency
services dispatch center for handling emergency calls on a person-to-person
basis and which is identified as such by a specific number included
among the emergency numbers listed in the telephone directory or numbers
in sequence therewith.
Means an alarm system which signals to persons on the premises
rather than to the police department, fire department or other outside
emergency services.
Means an alarm which notifies the police department or fire
department of a mechanical problem on the premises and which requires
action from the police department or fire department in addition to
contacting a responsible person from a list of persons provided by
the alarm subscriber.
Means an alarm system designed to send an emergency signal
activated by a change in temperature.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
A central alarm which is received at a central station or answering
service which then relates a message by direct live voice contact
to the appropriate emergency service may be connected upon approval
of an application and issuance of a permit.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
(A)Â
No alarm business or alarm system designed to transmit emergency
messages to the police department or fire department shall be tested
or demonstrated without prior notification and approval of the police
dispatcher. The fire department and police department may advise alarm
users or subscribers on proper test procedure.
(B)Â
No alarm system relayed through intermediate services to the police
or fire departments may be tested or demonstrated without prior notification
and approval of the police chief or fire chief as appropriate. The
police department or fire department may inspect or test on-site alarm
systems authorized under this chapter.
(C)Â
Alarm systems shall be in compliance with all written response policies
of the police department and fire department.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
When the service provided by an alarm business to its subscribers
is disrupted for any reason, the alarm business shall immediately
notify each of its subscribers by telephone that protection is no
longer being provided unless otherwise previously instructed in writing
by a subscriber.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
(A)Â
A permit is required before any person installs or maintains, or
permits to be installed or maintained, any regulated alarm device
as defined in this chapter on any property in the city.
(B)Â
The city clerk shall be the permit issuing authority and may grant
a permit to any applicant complying with the provisions of this chapter.
(C)Â
An application for a permit shall be approved by the fire chief,
police chief or both as may be appropriate under the circumstances.
The fire chief or police chief or both shall make their recommendation
to the city clerk which shall serve as the basis for approval or denial
of the application for the permit.
(D)Â
Failure to obtain a permit before the installation of an alarm system
shall be a violation of this chapter and subjects the violator to
the forfeiture provisions of this chapter.
(E)Â
Alarm permits shall be presented on demand to any police officer,
fire chief or assistant fire chief or fire inspector.
(F)Â
A person who obtains a permit to install or maintain an alarm device
or system at a specified location and desires to move the devices
to protect a different location or changes the type of system, shall
notify the fire chief and police chief before relocating the system
or installing new equipment at an existing location. A new permit
is not required for the relocation or installation of new equipment
at an existing location so long as the fire chief and police chief
have been notified before the relocation of existing equipment or
installation of new equipment on an existing site.
(G)Â
Any person who installs or maintains multiple alarm systems to protect
multiple locations shall obtain a permit for each address. A separate
permit is not required for multiple alarm systems at one location
even if the multiple alarms protect multiple areas at that single
address.
(H)Â
A permit fee set by resolution of the council shall be paid by the
applicant before the issuance of a permit by the city clerk.
(I)Â
The alarm user permit application shall contain the following information:
(1)Â
Name, address, phone number and date of birth of the applicant.
(2)Â
Location of the alarm in the building or area protected where
the alarm is to be installed.
(3)Â
The exact location where the alarm is to be installed. In the
event of alarms located outside the city limits, this would include
the fire number and the distance and direction from the nearest intersecting
roadway.
(4)Â
A description of the use of the protected property.
(5)Â
The type of alarm or alarms to be installed.
(6)Â
The name, address and phone numbers of two persons in addition
to the user who can be reached in a reasonable amount of time and
who are authorized by the alarm user to respond upon request of emergency
services.
(7)Â
The approximate date when the alarm device will be installed
and operational, and who will install and service the alarm.
(8)Â
The name, mailing address, telephone number and a description
of the type of service provided by an answering service or alarm business,
if any, who will monitor the alarm and relay emergency messages to
the police department or fire department.
(J)Â
The alarm user or subscriber shall notify the police department or
fire department in writing of any change in any of the information
required under subsection (J) of this section within five days of
such change.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
(A)Â
All information provided on the permit application shall remain confidential
and shall be used solely by emergency services personnel, and only
in the performance of their duties.
(B)Â
Permits shall be issued by the city clerk upon payment of fees and
approval of the permit application of the fire chief or police or
both as necessary.
(C)Â
No person shall release information contained on the permit application
without the prior written consent of the fire chief or police chief
and the permit holder.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
(A)Â
For each alarm activation, the permit holder or his or her agent
shall respond to the scene of the alarm when requested by emergency
services personnel. Such response shall be prompt to reduce the time
emergency personnel are kept from other duties.
(B)Â
Alarms shall be maintained by permit holders so as not to cause false
alarms.
(C)Â
All other parts of each system are to be maintained by the alarm
user, and any malfunction of those parts causing a false alarm will
be included as a false alarm for the purposes of assessment or revocation.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
(A)Â
Each false alarm requires response of public safety personnel, involves
unnecessary expense to the city, increases the risk of injury to persons
or damage to property and dilutes the overall public safety protection
to the city. Such false alarms constitute a nuisance and must be abated.
(B)Â
No person shall intentionally cause the activation of a burglar or
fire alarm knowing that no criminal activity, fire or other emergency
exists on or near the premises.
(C)Â
Any person owning or maintaining an alarm at one or more addresses
shall pay a fee for false alarms to which the police department or
fire department respond pursuant to a fee schedule adopted by resolution
of the council. A separate account at each address shall be kept for
false alarms on criminal activity and false alarms for fires or other
emergencies.
(D)Â
On default of fee payment for false alarms, the amount due may be
placed on the tax roll as a special charge under section 66.0627 of
the Wisconsin statutes. The fees imposed by this section are in addition
to any penalties or revocation proceedings which may be imposed under
the Wisconsin statutes or this code.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
(A)Â
A permit issued pursuant to this chapter may be revoked upon hearing
by the public safety committee of the city. Notice setting forth the
time, place and nature of the hearing shall be sent by mail or delivered
to the permittee at the address shown on the permit application not
less than seven days before the hearing.
(B)Â
A permit may be revoked for any of the following reasons:
(1)Â
The application for a permit contains false statement of a material
fact;
(2)Â
A licensee has repeatedly failed to comply with the provisions
of this chapter;
(3)Â
An alarm system repeatedly actuates false alarms; or
(4)Â
The actions of the permit holder constitute a hazard to public
safety personnel or the public.
(C)Â
A permit holder may appeal the decision of the public safety committee
by filing a written notice of appeal with the city clerk within 10
days after the public safety committee decision. Such appeal shall
be heard by the council within 30 days after the filing of the appeal.
An appeal timely taken suspends the revocation until the council gives
its decision. The city clerk shall give written notice of the time
and place of the hearing to the appellant by certified mail or personal
delivery not less than seven days before the hearing.
(D)Â
Permit holders shall be notified in writing of any revocation and
the effective date of the revocation. If the permit holder subscribes
through an answering service or monitoring service, the service shall
also be notified in writing by the city of the revocation of the permit.
(E)Â
An alarm shall not be disconnected until the alarm user or subscriber
has been served with written notice of his or her permit revocation.
The costs for the alarm disconnection shall be paid by the alarm user
or subscriber.
(F)Â
Any alarm permit which has been revoked may be reinstated upon a
satisfactory showing that the cause of the revocation has been eliminated
and upon completion of a permit application and payment of the permit
fee.
(G)Â
Any provision of this chapter for revocation of an alarm user's
permit that would conflict with the federal bank protection act of
1968 and any subsequent amendment shall not apply to those permit
holders.
[3-1-1994; 2016 Code]
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall
upon conviction be subject to a Class 3 forfeiture.
