A fee in an amount set by City Council resolution shall be assessed for each 911 call for police services determined not to be a warranted use of the 911 emergency phone line. The person making the 911 call and the business or entity by which that person was employed at the time of the call, if the call was made to respond to the employer's place of business, shall be liable for the costs thereof. In the case of calls made for response to a residence, the person making the call and the person in whose name the telephone account is listed shall be liable for the cost. In addition in the case of calls made by a minor, the minor's parent(s) or guardian having legal custody shall be liable for each unwarranted call made by such minor after the parent(s) or guardian has received notice of any prior unwarranted call by the minor. Notice shall be deemed to have been received five days after mailing by first class mail or upon personal delivery.
Upon determination that the call was not warranted, the department shall mail the bill by first class mail to the parties liable under this section or, alternatively may cause such notice to be delivered to the residence or business address of any such person and left with any apparently responsible person.
A call shall be considered warranted if a reasonable person of the relative age and maturity of the caller would reasonably believe that an emergency situation existed which would require a rapid response by police, fire, rescue or ambulance/medical personnel.
(Ord. 12-93; Ord. 03-25, 2/25/2025)