It is unlawful for any person to operate a patrol system or act as a patroller, unless such person has first obtained a permit or is listed on a permit as a patroller, as herein provided, and such permit is in full force and effect.
(Prior code § 5-9.1)
"Patrol system"
shall mean any street patrol system furnishing street patrol service or street patrol officers, herein referred to as patrolmen, furnishing or purporting to furnish to members or subscribers, any watchman or guard, either uniformed or otherwise, to patrol the streets of the City for the purpose of guarding or watching any property or performing any services or acts customarily performed by the Law Enforcement Agency.
Patrol system shall also mean any person who agrees to furnish or does furnish a watchman, guard, patroller or other person to protect persons or property or to prevent the theft, unlawful taking, loss, embezzlement, misappropriation or concealment of any goods, wares, merchandise, money, bonds, stocks, notes, documents, papers or property of any kind; or performs the service of such watchman, guard, patroller or other person for any of said purposes.
The definition of patrol system as used herein shall not include a person employed exclusively and regularly by only one employer in connection with the affairs of such employer.
"Patroller"
shall mean an individual engaged in the act of guarding property as the owner, member or employee of any patrol system.
(Prior code § 5-9.2)
Any person desiring to obtain a permit for a patrol system as required by Section 5.48.010 hereof shall make application therefor to the City Council. Each such application shall be accompanied by the fees provided for herein. Each such application shall be in writing, verified and shall set forth the following:
A. 
The name, age and business address and residence of the applicant, if a natural person, or if a corporation, its name, date and place of incorporation and the names of its principal officers, or if a partnership, association or fictitious company, the names of the partners or of the persons comprising the association or company, with the place of business and residence of each such partner or person.
B. 
A complete description of any of the motor vehicles which the applicant proposes to use, giving type of each vehicle, the name of the manufacturer thereof, the license number, and the color scheme, name, monogram or insignia to be used on each vehicle.
C. 
The street number and exact location of the place or places where the applicant proposes to perform any of its services.
D. 
The name, age, citizenship, address, description and fingerprints of every person applicant proposes to use or will use as a patroller within the City.
E. 
Such other information as the City Council may require.
(Prior code § 5-9.3)
Upon receipt of any application referred to in Section 5.48.030, the Council shall set the same for public hearing and give notice in writing of the date, time and place of the hearing to the applicant at least seven days before the hearing, said notice to be mailed to the address of the applicant as shown on the application.
The City Council shall make an investigation and receive testimony and evidence at the above mentioned hearing and shall grant a permit if it shall find:
A. 
That the color scheme, monogram or insignia to be used upon any vehicle is not in conflict with and does not imitate any color scheme, name, monogram or insignia so as to be misleading or tend to deceive or defraud the public, or that such color scheme, monogram, name or insignia imitates those used by any law enforcement agency in the County of Los Angeles.
B. 
That applicant or any officer, manager or patroller of applicant has not been convicted of a felony or any crime involving moral turpitude.
C. 
That the operation of the applicant's patrol system would not interfere or conflict with the operation or conduct of the law enforcement activities of the Sheriff of Los Angeles County or any other law enforcement agency of the City.
D. 
That the operation of the applicant's patrol system would not be contrary to the public welfare, safety or morals.
E. 
That each patroller of applicant is of good moral character and temperate habits, a citizen of the United States, and at least 21 years of age.
(Prior code § 5-9.4)
Any permit to operate a patrol system shall be limited to the applicant and to those patrolmen of the applicant designated in the permit. Any patrol system desiring to employ or use a patroller not authorized by its permit shall file an application for such patroller with the Chief of Police. Such application shall be in writing, verified, and shall contain the information as set forth in Section 5.48.030(D) and (E).
Upon receipt of such application the Chief of Police shall make an investigation and shall authorize the applicant's use of the patroller and the inclusion of the patroller on the applicant's permit if he or she shall find:
A. 
That the patroller has not been convicted of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude.
B. 
That the patroller is over 21 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and of good moral character and temperate habits.
(Prior code § 5-9.5)
Each patroller shall at all times carry on his/her person while acting in his/her capacity as a patroller an identification card which shall be issued to him/her by the City.
(Prior code § 5-9.6)
The City Council may revoke or suspend, for a period not to exceed six months, any permit as to any individual patroller or of any patrol system upon any of the following grounds:
A. 
That the patrol system or the patroller have violated the provisions of this Code or the laws of the State of California.
B. 
That the patrol system or any officer or manager thereof have been convicted of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude.
C. 
That the patroller has been convicted of a felony or of a crime involving moral turpitude.
D. 
That the patrol system has conducted or operated its business in the City in a form or manner contrary to the public welfare, safety or morals.
E. 
That the patrol system, in the conduct of its business or patrol, has interfered with the law enforcement activities of the Sheriff of Los Angeles County or any other law enforcement agency of the City.
F. 
That the permit was granted on false or fraudulent testimony or that the application which was filed contained false or fraudulent statements or information.
(Prior code § 5-9.7)
No permit of a patrol system or as to any individual patroller shall be revoked or suspended until such time as either the patrol system or the patroller have had a public hearing before the City Council. A written statement of the alleged charges or grounds constituting the cause for revocation or suspension shall be served on the patrol system, and in the case of an individual patroller, on the patroller and his/her employing patrol system. Such written statement shall be served by mail, postage prepaid on the patrol system and patroller, addressed to the address of the patrol system and patroller as such address appears on the permit issued by the City. Such notice shall be mailed at least 15 days prior to the date set for the public hearing.
(Prior code § 5-9.8)
The following fees will be payable to the City of Bellflower:
A. 
An application fee to be paid at the time any application for a permit to operate a patrol system is filed.
B. 
An application fee to be paid at the time any application for authorization to add any patroller to an existing permit is filed.
C. 
An annual permit fee payable on or before January 10 of each year.
Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, all fees applicable to this chapter, excluding business license taxes and fees, will be established by City Council resolution. Such charges will be determined by the department and be based on the actual cost incurred by the City in providing services. Such service charges will include, without limitation, charges for labor, supervision, overhead, administration and the use of any and all City equipment, and supplies.
(Prior code § 5-9.9; Ord. 1336 § 10, 5/8/17)