The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation
and enforcement of this article and shall have the meanings ascribed
to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates
a different meaning:
Act of God
means an extraordinary interruption by natural causes (such
as flood, earthquake, or severe weather) of the usual course of events
that experience, foresight, or care cannot reasonably foresee or prevent.
Alarm administrator
means a person or persons designated by the chief of police
to administer, control, and review false alarm reduction efforts and
administer the provisions of this article, including the alarm administrator's
authorized designee.
Alarm company
means any person who is in the business to sell, install,
service, or monitor an alarm system located at an alarm site.
Alarm dispatch request
means a notification to the communications center that an
alarm, whether manual or automatic, has been activated for a particular
alarm site.
Alarm permit or permit
means a certificate, license, permit, registration, or other
form of permission from the alarm administrator that authorizes a
person to operate an alarm system at an alarm site.
Alarm site
means a single fixed premise or location served by an alarm
system or systems that is under the control of one owner or tenant.
Each unit if served by a separate alarm system in a multi-unit building
or complex shall be considered a separate alarm site and is further
defined by the following categories:
(1)
Residential site
means a single-family residence and each residential unit
of a multi-family unit building which is served by an alarm system.
(2)
Commercial site
means every premise or location where any business activity
is regularly conducted, and which is served by an alarm system. Any
business within the premises that is served by a separate alarm system,
shall be considered a separate alarm site.
(3)
Educational site
means every premise or location of a public or private school
and their administrative offices.
(4)
Governmental site
means every premise or location of any federal, state, county,
or local government office.
Alarm system
means a device or system that transmits or relays a signal
intended to summon emergency services of the city. Alarm system does
not include:
(1)
An alarm installed on a vehicle unless the vehicle is used for
habitation at a permanent site;
(2)
An alarm designed to alert only the inhabitants of a premises;
nor
(3)
An alarm installed upon premises occupied by the city.
Alarm user
means any person who has contracted for monitoring, repair,
installation, or maintenance services from an alarm company for an
alarm system, or a person who owns or operates an alarm system that
is not monitored, maintained, or repaired under contract with an alarm
company.
Alarm user awareness training
means in-person or online training conducted for the purpose
of educating alarm users about the responsible use, operation, and
maintenance of alarm sites and systems and the problems created by
false alarms.
ANSI standard
means the American National Standards Institute, an independent
organization that approves standards that have been through an approval
process and are accepted as a standard.
Automatic voice dialer
means any electrical, electronic, mechanical, or other device
capable of being programmed to send a prerecorded voice message, when
activated, over a telephone line, radio, or other communication system
to the communications center requesting dispatch to an alarm site.
Burglar alarm notification
means the notification intended to summon the police, which
is initiated or triggered manually or by an alarm system designed
to respond to a situation characteristic of an unauthorized intrusion.
Cancellation
means the process where the public safety response is terminated
when an alarm company notifies the communications center prior to
the public safety response arrival at the alarm site.
Conversion
means the transaction or process by which one alarm company
begins monitoring an alarm system previously monitored by another
alarm company.
Director
means the chief of police or fire chief of the city, or his/her
authorized representative.
ECV
means the ANSI/CSAA CS-Y-01 Standard for the telephonic verification
of intrusion alarms.
False burglar alarm notification
means a burglar alarm notification to the police, and when
the responding police officer finds no evidence of unauthorized intrusion
or attempted unauthorized intrusion.
False fire alarm notification
means a fire alarm notification to the fire department, and
the responding fire personnel find no evidence of fire.
False panic alarm notification
means an emergency alarm notification has been made to the
communications center, and the responding public safety personnel
find no evidence or circumstances requiring an emergency response.
Fire alarm notification
means a notification to summon the fire department initiated
or triggered by smoke or fire, fire sprinkler activation or other
situations that are characteristic of a fire.
Late fee
means the fee charged for failing to pay the original fee
owed for a false alarm, permit renewal fee, or other allowable fee
that is not paid on time. The late fee is in addition to the amount
originally owed.
Panic alarm notification
is an emergency alarm notification that is manually triggered
and relayed to the communications center for the purpose of summoning
a public safety response.
Person
means an individual, corporation, partnership, association,
organization or other entity.
Responder
means an individual capable of reaching the alarm site within
thirty (30) minutes and has access to the alarm site, including the
code, and is able to disarm the false alarm, and to authorize repairs
to the alarm system.
Robbery alarm notification
means a silent alarm system signal generated by the entry
of a designated code into an arming station in order to signal that
the alarm user is being forced to turn off the alarm system and requires
a law enforcement response. It also includes a silent alarm generated
by the manual activation of a device to signal a robbery in progress
or immediately after it occurred.
Takeover
means the transaction or process by which an alarm user takes
control of an existing alarm system that was previously controlled
by another alarm user.
Verify
means an attempt by the alarm company to contact the alarm
site or alarm user by telephone, including text message, whether or
not actual contact is made.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) Permit required.
Any person owning or operating an alarm
system must apply for a permit within thirty (30) days of installation
of the alarm system. A person commits an offense if he fails to apply
for a permit within thirty (30) days after installation of the alarm
system and/or if he thereafter operates or causes to be operated an
alarm system without a valid permit issued pursuant to this article.
A separate permit application is required for each alarm site and
each type of alarm system. It is a defense to prosecution if the permit
application has been submitted to the alarm administrator in accordance
with this article and the alarm administrator is processing the permit
application.
(b) Fees.
(1) An annual, nonrefundable fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) is required
for each residential alarm permit or renewal of a permit. The annual
nonrefundable fee for each commercial permit is fifty dollars ($50.00),
including renewal of a permit.
(2) A permit is valid for a period of twelve (12) months from the date
of issuance. Permits must be renewed within ten (10) days of the expiration
of the previously issued permit. An updated application and registration
renewal fee must be submitted for renewal.
(3) Governmental and public educational sites are exempt from all permit
fees, false alarm charges, service fees and fines that are assessed
under this article as long as the entity has a valid alarm permit,
but shall comply with all other requirements of this article.
(c) Late fee for renewal.
A failure to renew within the
ten-day period shall incur a late fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00)
for each alarm system that was not renewed in the applicable period.
(d) Authority for city to enter and deactivate alarm.
Application
for a permit under the provisions of this section constitutes a grant
of approval to the city to deactivate an alarm system that sounds
an alarm signal for longer than thirty (30) minutes after being notified,
including entry onto and into the premises of the alarm site for this
purpose. The right of entry includes a waiver of any damages incurred
to the premises or the alarm system as a result of this access and
deactivation.
(e) Permit requirements.
Each permit application must contain
the following information and be complete, true and accurate in its
entirety:
(1) Name, address, and telephone number(s) of the permit holder who will
be responsible for the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm
system and payment of fees assessed under this article; the mailing
address if different than the address of the permit holder or the
alarm site;
(2) The classification of the alarm site as either residential or commercial
including the building number and the apartment number;
(3) For each alarm system located at the alarm site, the classification
of the alarm system (i.e., burglary, robbery, panic alarms or other)
and for each classification, whether such alarm is audible or silent;
(4) Any dangerous, hazardous, or special conditions present at the alarm
site;
(5) The name and telephone number of the alarm company that has agreed
to receive calls for the permitted alarm system, if applicable;
(6) Provide at least two (2) names of responders and their telephone
numbers who are able to receive notification of an alarm system activation
and respond to the alarm site within thirty (30) minutes of being
notified with a key or other means of access to the premises and,
if needed, can deactivate the alarm system. Preference should be given
to the use of cellular phone numbers as backup contact to the primary
alarm site number; or
(7) Signed certification from the alarm user that includes the following:
(A) The date of the installation, conversion, or takeover of the alarm
system;
(B) The name, address, and telephone number of the alarm installation
company or companies performing the installation, conversion, or takeover;
(C) The name, address and telephone number of the alarm company that
performs the monitoring service if different than (B) above;
(D) That a set of written operating instructions for the alarm system
that include guidelines on how to avoid false alarms, have been left
with the applicant by the alarm company;
(E) That the applicant has been trained by the alarm company in the proper
user of the alarm system, including instructions on how to avoid false
alarms;
(F) That in consideration for the ability to have an alarm permit, the
applicant is authorized to and grants to the city the right to enter
onto the alarm site, including the right to enter into a residence
or building for the purpose of disarming a false alarm if the alarm
user or responder is not present or is unable to deactivate the false
alarm. The right of entry includes a waiver of any damages incurred
to the premises or the alarm system as a result of this access and
deactivation; and
(G) Any other information required by the alarm administrator that is
necessary for the enforcement of this article.
(f) A
Willow Park resident who has a valid permit that is more than sixty
(60) days from expiration may transfer said permit to a new location
within Willow Park.
(g) Upon
receipt of a completed alarm permit application and the alarm permit
fee including any past due fees, penalties and fines, the alarm administrator
shall register the applicant and issue a permit number unless the
applicant has:
(1) Failed to pay a fine, penalty or fee assessed under this article;
(2) Had an alarm permit for the alarm site suspended or revoked, and
the violation that resulted in a suspension or revocation has not
been corrected; or
(3) Made any false statement or misrepresentation of a material fact
for the purpose of obtaining an alarm permit or renewal, or while
making a change thereto.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) The
alarm administrator may revoke or refuse to renew an alarm system
permit for failure to meet the standards and requirements set out
in this article.
(b) The
alarm administrator may revoke or refuse to renew an alarm permit
if the alarm administrator determines, in his/her sole discretion,
that the alarm system in question has a history of unreliability,
which unreliability shall be presumed upon the occurrence, in the
immediately preceding twelve (12) month period, of:
(1) Eight (8) false burglar alarms;
(2) Five (5) false robbery alarms;
(3) Five (5) false fire alarms;
(4) Five (5) false medical emergency assistance alarms; or
(5) Five (5) false panic alarms.
(c) The
alarm administrator may revoke a permit for a false robbery alarm
activated by a single action, non-recessed button.
(d) A
revoked permit may be reissued upon the payment of a twenty-five dollar
($25.00) reinstatement fee and upon:
(1) Determination by the alarm administrator that the applicant has made
a sufficient showing that the conditions which caused the false alarms
have been corrected and that the alarm system is likely to be maintained
and operated in a responsible manner in accordance with the provisions
of this article;
(2) Payment of all outstanding fees, penalties and fines; and
(3) If required by the alarm administrator, a certification from an alarm
company, stating that the alarm system at the alarm site has been
repaired or adjusted in a manner to attempt to eliminate false alarms
and describes the actions that occurred to make that certification,
and that the alarm user has been made aware of the issues that resulted
or may result in false alarms, including but not limited to the impact
of pets, home decorations, changes in the environment, need to train
responders who have access to the premises by providing the responders
the code(s) to deactivate the alarm system and passwords to identify
the responders to the alarm company in an alarm situation.
(e) A person may appeal a revocation or refusal to renew a permit in accordance with the procedures set forth in section
4.03.004.
(f) A
person commits an offense if he operates an alarm system after the
alarm administrator revokes or refuses to issue or renew a permit
for that alarm system.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) If
the alarm administrator refuses to issue or renew a permit, or revokes
a permit, the alarm administrator shall send to the applicant or permit
holder by certified mail, return receipt requested, written notice
of the alarm administrator's decision and a statement of the right
to an appeal. The applicant or permit holder may appeal the decision
of the alarm administrator to the director by filing with the director
a written request for a hearing, setting forth the reasons for the
appeal, within ten (10) calendar days after the receipt of the notice
from the alarm administrator. The filing of a request for an appeal
hearing with the director stays the action of the alarm administrator
until the director makes the final decision. If a request for an appeal
hearing is not made within the ten (10) day period, the action of
the alarm administrator is final. An alarm permit holder with an existing
permit, must have thirty days' notice before the non-renewal is effective.
(b) The
director shall serve as hearing officer at an appeal hearing and consider
evidence offered by any interested person. The formal rules of evidence
do not apply at any appeal hearing and the director shall make his
final decision on the basis of a preponderance of the evidence presented
at the hearing. The director must render a decision within thirty
(30) days after the request for an appeal hearing is filed. The director
shall affirm, reverse, or modify the action of the alarm administrator,
and his decision is final.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) It
shall be unlawful for a person to install or maintain an alarm system
that summons a public safety response from the city for the purpose
of eliciting responses to burglaries, robberies, fires, panic or medical
emergencies unless specifically authorized by this article.
(b) If
innovations in alarm systems or other types of alarm devices adversely
affect emergency services in the city, the director may promulgate
other rules and regulations in order to protect the city's emergency
services.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) If
false alarm notifications are received for an alarm site, the alarm
administrator shall assess the permit holder in control of that alarm
site a fee for false alarms emitted from the alarm site in the following
amounts:
(1) Fifty dollars ($50.00) if the alarm site has had more than three
(3), but less than six (6) false burglar alarm notifications in the
immediately preceding twelve (12) month period;
(2) Seventy-five dollars ($75.00) if the alarm site has had more than
five (5), but less than eight (8) false burglar alarm notifications
in the immediately preceding twelve (12) month period;
(3) One hundred dollars ($100.00) if the alarm site has had eight (8)
or more false burglar alarm notifications in the immediately preceding
twelve (12) month period;
(4) If, within any twelve (12) month period, two (2) false robbery alarm
notifications are emitted from an alarm site, the alarm administrator
shall assess the permit holder in control of that alarm site a fee
for each subsequent false robbery alarm notification emitted from
the alarm site. The fee for each false robbery alarm notification
under this subsection shall be seventy-five dollars ($75.00);
(5) If, within any twelve (12) month period, two (2) false fire alarm
notifications are emitted from an alarm site, the alarm administrator
shall assess the permit holder in control on that alarm site a fee
for each subsequent false fire alarm notification emitted from the
alarm site. The fee for each false fire alarm notification under this
subsection shall be seventy-five dollars ($75.00);
(6) If, within any twelve (12) month period, two (2) false panic alarm
notifications are emitted from an alarm site, the alarm administrator
shall assess the permit holder in control on that alarm site a fee
for each subsequent false panic alarm notification emitted from the
alarm site. The fee for each false panic alarm notification under
this subsection shall be seventy-five dollars ($75.00); or
(7) If, within any twelve (12) month period, two (2) false emergency
medical assistance alarm notifications are emitted from an alarm site,
the alarm administrator shall assess the permit holder in control
of that alarm site a fee for each subsequent false emergency medical
assistance alarm notification emitted from the alarm site. The fee
for each false medical emergency alarm notification under this subsection
shall be seventy-five dollars ($75.00).
(b) If
the permit holder or responder fails to respond to the scene within
thirty (30) minutes to reset the alarm system and provide access to
the alarm site, the alarm system may be silenced by authorized city
personnel and a fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), in addition to the
actual expenses incurred in securing the alarm site, will be charged
to the permit holder. All costs of the city in disabling such an alarm
system shall be assessed to the permit holder of the alarm site and
shall be paid to the city within thirty (30) days after the permit
holder has received notice that the costs have been assessed.
(c) If
a public safety response takes longer than thirty (30) minutes to
respond to the alarm dispatch request or cancellation is received
by the communications center before the arrival of public safety response
personnel to the alarm site, no false alarm fee shall be assessed.
(d) A
permit holder shall pay a fee assessed under this section within thirty
(30) days after receipt of notice that it has been assessed. A failure
to pay the fee within thirty (30) days will result in an additional
ten percent late fee. Failure of the permit holder to pay the assessed
fee and any applicable late fee will result in the permit being revoked.
(e) All persons assessed a fee shall have a right to appeal the same using the process set forth in section
4.03.004 of this article. A right to appeal will be included in the notice of the fee.
(f) The
permit holder will be exempt from any fees charged for a false alarm
notification which is later shown to have been in the alarm administrator's
sole determination, justified or which was due to a natural or man-made
catastrophe or other situation specifically exempted by the director.
(g) For
the purposes of this article, a permit holder shall be considered
to be in control of the alarm site for all purposes and at all times,
regardless of whether the permit holder is physically present when
an alarm is activated and regardless of whether the alarm dispatch
is activated by a third person, including but not limited to, another
resident of the premises, a family member, a service worker, a guest
or an invitee, unless the third party is a trespasser of the alarm
site.
(h) Alarm
permit holders for governmental or public educational sites are exempt
from the payment of false alarm fees.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) It
is unlawful for an alarm permit holder to report alarm signals through
a relaying intermediary that:
(1) Does not meet the requirements of this article and any rules and
regulations promulgated by the alarm administrator; or
(2) Is not licensed by the state board of private investigators and private
security agencies except for a personal emergency response alarm system
that does not include a burglar or fire system.
(b) A
person commits an offense if the person operates any alarm system
without having a valid permit for the alarm system. Each and every
day a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. This
provision shall not apply to a person operating a personal emergency
response system that is not part of a combination of a burglar or
fire alarm system.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) It
is unlawful for an alarm user to:
(1) Fail to cause an adjustment to be made to the sensory mechanism of
his/her alarm system in order to suppress false indications of force
so that the alarm system will not be activated by impulses due to:
(A) Transient pressure changes in water pipes;
(C) Wind noise caused by the rattling or vibrating of doors or windows;
(D) Vehicular noise adjacent to the installation; or
(E) Other forces unrelated to actual emergencies;
(2) Fail to maintain the premises containing an alarm system in a manner
that ensures proper operation of the alarm system;
(3) Fail to comply with Texas state law and install only Underwriters'
Listed CP-01 alarm control panels on all new installations and service
replacements;
(4) Allow an inside sounder to be installed or operated so that it can
be heard outside of the internal premises of the alarm site;
(5) Allow an outside sounder to be installed at the alarm site;
(6) To utilize an automatic voice dialer for purposes of notifying the
communications center of an alarm except for panic alarms; or
(7) Operate an alarm system that is manually initiated at an arming station
without a double action trigger. A double action trigger includes
but is not limited to, any of the following:
(A) Simultaneous depression of two (2) buttons, where if either of the
buttons have multiple functions, the two (2) buttons are non-adjacent.
(B) Depression of a single button after lifting the cover that normally
protects it if the cover protects only emergency function buttons.
(C) Depression of a single button for at least two (2) seconds.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
An alarm user shall:
(1) Operate
the alarm site and the alarm system in a manner that minimizes or
eliminates false alarms;
(2) Make
every reasonable effort to have a responder to the alarm site within
thirty (30) minutes when requested by the communications center in
order to:
(B) Provide access to the alarm site and alarm system;
(C) Provide alternative security to the alarm site.
(3) Not
activate an alarm system for any reason other than an occurrence of
an event that the alarm system was designed to report.
(4) Adjust
the mechanism of an inside sounder so that the alarm will sound for
no longer than ten (10) minutes.
(5) Maintain
a written set of operating instructions for each alarm system at the
alarm site.
(6) Upon
reasonable notification, allow the alarm administrator or his designee
to inspect the alarm site and alarm system of the permit holder.
(7) Not
use a robbery alarm notification that is a single action, non-recessed
button.
(8) Inform
the alarm administrator in writing of any changes that alter information
listed on the permit application within five (5) business days of
the change. No fee will be assessed for such changes.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) All
alarm companies shall be licensed through the state department of
public safety private security bureau as required by the Texas Occupations
Code, chapter 1702, as amended.
(b) An
alarm company shall:
(1) Confirm with the alarm administrator that a valid alarm permit has
been issued by the city for an alarm site before performing any alarm
system conversion at the alarm site.
(2) Send a certification to the alarm administrator within thirty (30)
days of performing or causing the performance of an alarm system installation
or conversion. The certificate must state:
(A) The date of installation or conversion of the alarm system, whichever
is applicable;
(B) The name, address, telephone number and current state license number
of the alarm company providing the alarm system installation or conversion;
(C) The name, address, telephone number and current state license number
of the alarm company providing monitoring for the alarm system if
different from the alarm company under contract to provide installation
or conversion for the alarm system;
(D) That a complete set of written operating instructions for the alarm
system, including, without limitation, written guidelines on how to
avoid false alarms has been left with the applicant; or
(E) That the alarm company has trained the applicant in the proper use
of the alarm system, including, without limitation, instructions on
how to avoid, and through their alarm company, how to cancel false
alarms;
(3) Send notification of an alarm to the city by the means currently
specified by the alarm administrator;
(4) Communicate alarm dispatch requests and cancellations to the communications
center in a manner determined by the alarm administrator;
(5) Communicate any available information (permit number, north south,
front, back, floor, etc.) about the premises on all alarm signals
related to the alarm dispatch request;
(6) Communicate the type of alarm activation (silent, audible, interior
or perimeter);
(7) After making an alarm dispatch request, promptly advise the communications
center if the alarm company is aware that the alarm user and/or responder
is on the way to the alarm site;
(8) Contact the alarm user or responder within twenty-four (24) hours
via mail, email, fax, telephone or other electronic means when an
alarm dispatch request is made;
(9) Report alarms signals and dispatch requests by using telephone numbers
designated by the alarm administrator; and
(10) Before requesting an alarm dispatch request to an alarm signal, verify
every alarm signal, except a panic, robbery, fire or emergency medical
alarm activation, by making a minimum of two (2) telephone calls to
two (2) separate phone numbers as per ANSI/CSAA C-V-01 Standard for
the telephone verification of alarm signals.
(c) An
alarm company shall not install an automatic voice dialer as part
of an alarm system unless it is limited to panic alarm notifications.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
Upon the effective date of this article [an alarm] company shall:
(1) Maintain
for a period of one (1) year from the date of the alarm dispatch request,
records relating to alarm dispatch requests, that include the name,
address and telephone number of the alarm user and evidence that demonstrates
attempts to verify. The alarm administrator may request copies of
the records of individually named alarm users located in Willow Park.
If the request is made within sixty (60) days of an alarm request
dispatch, the alarm company shall furnish the requested records within
three (3) business days of receipt of the request. If the request
is made between sixty (60) days to one year after an alarm dispatch
request, the alarm company shall furnish the records within thirty
(30) days of the request.
(2) Provide
the alarm administrator with the names and telephone numbers of the
alarm user's responders maintained by the alarm company for that alarm
user at the time of the alarm dispatch request or within a reasonable
time thereafter, not to exceed forty-eight (48) hours, if the communications
center requests that information.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
A person commits an offense if he engages in the business of
relaying alarm notifications in the city without complying fully with
this article. This shall not apply to installation or activation of
a personal emergency response system, as defined by Texas Occupations
Code, section 1702.331, as amended.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) The
alarm administrator shall establish a procedure for notification to
the alarm user of a false alarm. The notice shall include the following
information:
(1) Date and time of public safety response;
(2) Identification number of the public safety person; and
(3) A statement advising the alarm user to ensure that the alarm system
is properly operated, inspected and serviced in order to avoid false
alarms and resulting fees and fines.
(b) The
alarm administrator may implement an alarm user awareness class.
(c) The
alarm administrator may require an alarm user to remove a robbery
alarm that is a single action, non-recessed button, if a false alarm
has occurred.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
It shall be unlawful for any person or business to operate or
energize an alarm system or an alarm device which activates an automatic
dialing device that sends a signal to the communications center.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally activate
or cause to be activated any alarm system for other than its intended
purpose and with the intent of causing a public safety response.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
To the extent allowed by law, all information contained in and
gathered through the alarm registration applications, records relating
to alarm dispatch requests, and applications for appeals, are confidential
and shall be held in confidence by all employees or representatives
of the city and by any third-party administrator or employees of a
third-party administrator with access to such information. This provision
shall not prevent an alarm company from receiving confirmation from
the city that an alarm permit has been issued for an alarm site.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021; Ordinance adopting 2024 Code)
(a) Responses
from the police and fire departments may be terminated to non-permitted
alarm sites after notification to the owner or last known permit holder
of the alarm site has been made by regular and certified mail, return
receipt requested.
(b) Responses
will not be terminated because of excessive false burglar notifications
to a residential alarm site as long as a valid permit exists and all
fees are paid in full.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
The issuance of an alarm permit and/or the provisions set forth
in this article are not intended to, nor do they create a contract,
duty or obligation, either expressed or implied, of a response by
the city. Any and all liability and consequential damage resulting
from the failure to respond to a notification is hereby disclaimed
and governmental immunity as provided by law is retained. By applying
for an alarm permit, the permit holder acknowledges that law enforcement,
fire and/or emergency medical response may be influenced by factors
such as, among other things: availability, priority of calls, weather
conditions, traffic conditions, emergency conditions and staffing
levels and that an alarm permit is not a guarantee of any public safety
response at any time. Notwithstanding the above, the city may discontinue
service to an alarm site for failure to pay false alarm fees.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)
(a) Any
person who violates this article shall be, upon conviction, deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and fined an amount not in excess of five
hundred dollars ($500.00) unless a lesser maximum amount has been
provided for in this article. Each day of violation continues shall
constitute a separate offense.
(b) A
person commits an offense if he violates by commission or omission
any provision of this article that imposes upon him a duty or responsibility.
(c) In
addition to prohibiting or requiring certain conduct of individuals,
it is the intent of this article to hold a corporation, partnership,
association or other entity criminally responsible for acts or omissions
performed by an agent acting on behalf of the corporation, partnership,
association, or entity and within the scope of the agent's employment
or authority.
(Ordinance 842-21 adopted 9/28/2021)