(Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(1))
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:
(a) 
Alarm system means an assembly of equipment and devices or a single device such as a solid state unit which plugs directly into a one hundred ten (110) volt AC line, arranged to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond.
(b) 
Alarm user or user means any person on whose premises an alarm system is maintained within the city except for alarm systems on motor vehicles or proprietary systems. Excluded from this definition and from the coverage of this article are central station personnel and persons who use alarm systems to alert or signal persons within the premises in which the alarm system is located of an attempted unauthorized intrusion or holdup attempt. If such a system, however, employs an audible signal emitting sounds or a flashing light or beacon designed to signal persons outside the premises, such system shall be within the definition of alarm system and shall be subject to this article.
(c) 
Automatic dialing device refers to an alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a pre-recorded voice message or coded signal indicating the existence of the emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.
(d) 
Central station means an office to which remote alarm and supervisory signaling devices are connected, where operators supervise circuits or where guards are maintained continuously to investigate signals.
(e) 
Communications console means the instrumentation on an alarm console at the receiving terminal of a signal line which, through both visual and audible signals, indicates activation of an alarm system at a particular location, or which indicates line trouble.
(f) 
Direct connect means an alarm system which has the capability of transmitting system signals to and receiving them at the police department communication center.
(g) 
False alarm means:
(1) 
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation or negligence of the user of an alarm system or of his employees or agents.
(2) 
Any signal or oral communication transmitted to the police department requesting, or requiring, or resulting in a response on the part of the police department when in fact there has been no unauthorized intrusion or attempted unauthorized intrusion into a premises and no attempted robbery or burglary at a premises.
(3) 
Excluded from this definition are activations of alarm systems caused by power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and similar conditions.
(h) 
Interconnect means to connect an alarm system to a voicegrade telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes a standard telephone, for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit an emergency message upon the activation of the alarm system.
(i) 
Police chief means the chief of police of the city or his designated representative.
(j) 
Police or police department means the city police department or any authorized agent thereof.
(k) 
Public nuisance means anything which annoys, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health or safety of a considerable number of persons or of any community or neighborhood.
(Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(1))
Fire alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor temperature, smoke, humidity or any other condition not directly related to the detection of an unauthorized intrusion into a premises or an attempted robbery at a premises and all residential houses are specifically excluded from the provisions of this article.
(Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(4))
Any person using an automatic dialing device may have the device interconnected to a telephone line transmitting directly to:
(a) 
A central station;
(b) 
An answering service; or
(c) 
Any privately-owned or privately-operated facility or terminal.
(Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(5))
(a) 
Alarm systems may be connected to the communications console in the police department.
(b) 
In accordance with the normal bidding practices in effect in the city, the purchasing agent shall have the authority to request bids from alarm companies in order to furnish, at no cost to the city, a communications console and the necessary telephone lines which are compatible to the receipt of alarm signals from alarm systems whose lines are connected to the police department.
(1) 
Each of the bids shall set forth the annual fee each alarm user will be required to pay the alarm company for services rendered with respect to the communications console.
(2) 
Such services shall be set forth in the form of a written contract between the alarm company and each alarm user.
(3) 
The provisions of this paragraph (b) relate solely to the aforementioned communications console, connections to the said console by alarm users, and fees and charges related to the installation and maintenance of the console.
(4) 
Any alarm user may contract with any alarm company of his choice for the sale, installation, maintenance and/or servicing of the alarm system to be installed on his premises.
(c) 
The alarm user, or the alarm business contracting for servicing the alarm user’s alarm system, shall be responsible for obtaining the leased telephone line between the alarm user’s premises and the alarm-receiving equipment at the police department and for furnishing the appropriate interface equipment used to operate the communications console.
(d) 
The provisions of section 14-59 concerning false alarms shall apply to all alarm users or persons having direct connect systems, except municipal, county and state agencies and religious organizations.
(A0173-12; Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(6))
(a) 
Every alarm user shall submit to the police chief the names and telephone numbers of at least two (2) other persons who can be reached at any time, day or night, and who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an alarm system, and who can open the premises wherein the alarm system is installed.
(b) 
All alarm systems directly connected to the police station may be equipped with a test device which will give a ten-second delay or longer prior to alarm system activation in order to warn the alarm user of an open alarm circuit.
(c) 
All alarm systems installed after January 1, 1987, which use an audible horn or bell shall be equipped with a device that will shut off such horn or bell within twenty (20) minutes after activation of the alarm system.
(d) 
Any alarm system emitting a continuous and uninterrupted signal for more than thirty (30) minutes which cannot be shut off or otherwise curtailed due to the absence or unavailability of the alarm user or those persons designated by him under paragraph (a) of this section, and which disturbs the peace, comfort or repose of a community, a neighborhood or a considerable number of inhabitants of the area where the alarm system is located, shall constitute a public nuisance.
(1) 
Upon receiving complaints regarding such a continuous and uninterrupted signal, the police chief shall endeavor to contact the alarm user, or members of the alarm user’s family, or those persons designated by the alarm user under paragraph (a) of this section in an effort to abate the nuisance.
(2) 
The police chief shall cause to be recorded the names and addresses of all complainants and the time each complaint was made. In the event that the police chief is unable to contact the alarm user, or members of the alarm user’s family, or those persons designated by the alarm user under paragraph (a) of this section, or if such persons cannot or will not curtail the audible signal being emitted by the alarm system, and if the police chief is otherwise unable to abate the nuisance, he may direct a police officer or a firefighter or a qualified alarm technician to enter upon the property outside the home or building in which the alarm system is located and take any reasonable action necessary to abate the nuisance.
(3) 
If entry upon property outside the home or building in which the alarm system is located is made in accordance with this clause, the person so entering upon such property:
a. 
Shall not conduct, engage in or undertake any search, seizure, inspection or investigation while he is upon the property;
b. 
Shall not cause any unnecessary damage to the alarm system or to any part of the home or building; and
c. 
Shall leave the property immediately after the audible signal has ceased.
(4) 
After an entry upon property has been made in accordance with this section, the police chief shall have the property secured, if necessary.
(5) 
The reasonable costs and expenses of abating a nuisance in accordance with this section may be assessed to the alarm user, such assessment not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00).
(6) 
Within ten (10) days after abatement of a nuisance in accordance with this section, the alarm user may request a hearing before the city council and may present evidence showing that the signal emitted by his alarm system was not a public nuisance at the time of the abatement; that unnecessary damage was caused to his property in the course of the abatement; that the costs of the abatement should not be assessed to him; or that the requirements of this clause were not fulfilled.
(7) 
The city council shall hear all interested parties and may, in its discretion, reimburse the alarm user for the repairs to his property necessitated by the abatement, or excuse the alarm user from paying the costs of abatement.
(Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(7))
(a) 
No alarm system designed to transmit emergency messages directly to the police department shall be worked on, tested or demonstrated without obtaining permission from the police chief.
(b) 
Permission is not required to test or demonstrate alarm devices not transmitting emergency messages directly to the police department.
(c) 
An unauthorized test constitutes a false alarm.
(A0173-12; Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(8))
(a) 
When emergency messages are received by the police department that evidence false alarms, the police chief shall take such action as may be appropriate under paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this section, and, when so required by the terms of such paragraphs, order that use of an alarm system be discontinued.
(b) 
After the police department has recorded three (3) separate false alarms within the calendar year from an alarm system, the police chief shall notify the alarm user, in person, by telephone or by mail, of such fact and require the user to submit, within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such notice, a report describing efforts to discover and eliminate the cause or causes of the false alarms.
(1) 
If the user, on the basis of absence from the city, or on any other reasonable basis, requests an extension of time for filing the report, the police chief may extend the fifteen-day period for a reasonable period.
(2) 
If the user fails to submit such a report within fifteen (15) days or within any such extended period, the police chief shall order that use of the alarm system be discontinued.
(3) 
Any such discontinuance shall be effectuated within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the police chief’s order.
(c) 
If the police chief determines that a report submitted in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section is unsatisfactory, or that the alarm user has failed to show by the report that he has taken or will take reasonable steps to eliminate or reduce false alarms, then the police chief shall order that use of the alarm system be discontinued.
(1) 
Any such discontinuance shall be effectuated within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the police chief’s order.
(d) 
If the police department records five (5) false alarms within the calendar year from an alarm system, the police chief shall order that the user of the alarm system discontinue use of the alarm system.
(1) 
Any such discontinuance shall be effectuated within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the police chief’s order.
(2) 
Such discontinuance shall continue until the police chief has received a certified notice, that the alarm system has been reviewed and or repaired and is in perfect working order, by a business or person knowledgeable in the field of alarm systems.
(e) 
Any user of an alarm system which transmits false alarms shall be assessed a fine in accordance with section 1-8 for each false alarm in excess of three (3) occurring within the calendar year.
(1) 
All fines assessed hereunder shall be paid to the city treasurer for deposit in the general fund.
(2) 
Upon failure of the user of an alarm system to pay two (2) consecutive fines assessed hereunder within sixty (60) days of assessment, the police chief shall order that the user discontinue use of the alarm system.
(3) 
Any such discontinuance shall be effectuated within thirty (30) days from the date of receipt of the police chief’s order.
(f) 
Any user of an alarm system who has, in accordance with this section, been ordered by the police chief to discontinue use of an alarm system may appeal the order of discontinuance to the city council.
(1) 
Notice of an appeal shall be filed with the clerk of the city council within ten (10) days of the date of the order of discontinuance.
(2) 
Thereafter the city council shall consider the merits of the appeal, and in connection therewith shall hear evidence presented by all interested persons. After hearing such evidence, the city council may affirm, vacate or modify the order of discontinuance.
(Ord. of 4-27-87, § 24(9))
(a) 
The following acts and omissions shall constitute violations of this article punishable by a fine in accordance with section 1-8.
(1) 
Failure to obey an order of the police chief to discontinue use of an alarm system, after exhaustion of the right of appeal;
(2) 
Failure to disconnect an automatic dialing device from any telephone numbers at the police department within six (6) months after April 27, 1987;
(3) 
Interconnection of an automatic dialing device to any telephone numbers, other than those authorized, at the police department after the effective date of this article;
(4) 
Failure to pay two (2) or more consecutive fines assessed under this chapter within sixty (60) days from the date of assessment;
(5) 
Failure to comply with the requirements of this article.
(b) 
Each day during which such violations continue shall constitute a separate offense.