For the purposes of this chapter, certain terms, phrases, and
words shall be construed as follows:
"Alarm agent"
means any person who owns or operates or is employed by an
alarm business whose duties include the installing, altering, maintaining,
moving, repairing, replacing, selling, servicing, responding to or
causing others to respond to an alarm system, in or on any building,
structure, or facility.
"Alarm business"
means the business carried on by any individual, partnership,
corporation, or other entity of selling, leasing, maintaining, servicing,
repairing, altering, replacing, moving, or installing any alarm system,
or causing to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered,
replaced, moved or installed any alarm system in or on any building,
structure, or facility.
"Alarm system"
means any mechanical or electrical device that is designed
or used for the detection of fire, intrusion into a building, structure
or facility, or for alerting others of an event within a facility,
or both, which event causes a local audible alarm or transmission
of a signal or message. Alarm systems include, but are not limited
to, direct dial telephone devices, audible alarms, and proprietor
alarms. Devices that are not designed or used to evoke a police or
fire response, or used to register alarms that are intended to be
audible, visible or perceptible outside of the protected building,
structure or facility are not included within this definition, nor
are auxiliary devices installed by a telephone company to protect
its systems which might be damaged or disrupted by the use of an alarm
system.
"Audible alarm"
means a device designed for the detection of fire or of an
intrusion on premises, which generates an audible sound on the premises
when it is actuated.
"Direct alarm"
means any alarm system connecting an authorized source to
the Monterey Park police department by a leased telephone line or
any other direct line that has no intermediate station and terminates
at an independent terminal monitor module at the police department.
"False alarm"
means the activation of an alarm system through mechanical
failure, accidental tripping, misoperation, malfunction, misuse or
the neglect of the owner or lessee of an alarm system, or of his or
her employees or agents. Upon failure of the Monterey Park police
or fire department to find any evidence of intrusion, fire or other
need or cause for activating an alarm system, a presumption of false
alarm will arise. False alarm shall not include alarms caused by earthquakes,
violent winds, malfunction of telephone line circuits or external
causes beyond the control of the owner or lessee of the alarm system.
"Terminal monitor module"
means a device installed at the police department communication
center to which direct alarms are connected by means of a telephone
lease line.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
No person shall install or use an alarm system without first
applying for and receiving a permit in accordance with this chapter.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
No person shall conduct any activities as an alarm agent without
first registering his or her name and filing a copy of his or her
state identification card with the Monterey Park police chief.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
To obtain a permit for an alarm system, the applicant shall
file an application therefor in writing with the police chief which
shall contain the following information:
(1) The
name of the applicant and the address at which the system is to be
installed;
(2) The
name, address and telephone number of the selling and/or installing
alarm company;
(3) If
the applicant will not have a service contract with an alarm company
or business, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least
two persons to call in case of an emergency;
(4) A
description of the alarm system; and
(5) Any
other information required in order to process the application.
Each such application shall be accompanied by a fee in an amount
which shall be determined by resolution of the city council.
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The applicant shall keep the information on the application
current and shall correct any information thereon within ten days
of any change thereof. If the applicant fails to do so, the applicant
will be assessed a fee as set forth in a city council resolution.
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(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1550 § 1, 1981; Ord. 1779 § 10, 1989; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
If the proposed alarm system meets the specifications of this chapter and the application is completed pursuant to Section
9.28.040, the police chief shall cause a permit to be issued.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1550 § 2, 1981; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
The police chief may, with the approval of the city council,
enter into appropriate agreements with an alarm agent to provide a
terminal monitor module.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
Every alarm permit holder shall be allowed a direct connection
to the terminal monitor module upon payment of fees that are established
for such connection. In addition, such permittee shall pay the city
on or before January 1st of each year a fee set forth in a city council
resolution.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
All audible alarm systems, excluding the fire alarms that emit
sound to indicate the functioning of an automatic fire sprinkler system,
shall include a device that will limit the generation of the audible
sound of the system to not longer than fifteen minutes after activation
when the alarm system is protecting a residential structure, and thirty
minutes when the alarm system is protecting a commercial or industrial
structure. Said systems shall include an automatic resetting device,
which shall cause the system to be re-armed upon automatic shutoff.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
All burglary detection alarm systems that directly transmit
a signal to the police facility shall include a device which will
provide a minimum of a thirty-second delay of the original transmission
and activate a signal immediately in such a manner as to be perceptible
to a person lawfully entering, leaving or occupying the premises.
Such a device is intended to provide an opportunity for the person
having lawful control of the alarm system to terminate its operation
after activation but prior to the transmission of a false alarm.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
(a) When
emergency messages are received by the police department that show
a failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter or a permit
issued hereunder, the owner or lessee of the alarm system initiating
such messages, or his or her representative, shall disconnect the
alarm system until it is made to comply with said requirements immediately
upon written notification from the police chief to do so.
(b) The
owner or lessee of any alarm system shall be assessed a fee as set
forth in a city council resolution for each false alarm transmitted
to the police department.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1550 § 2, 1981; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
(a) The
police chief may suspend any alarm permit if the holder of the permit
violates any provisions of this chapter or any rules or regulations
made pursuant to this chapter, if the number of false alarms from
the alarm system exceeds three in any twelve-month period, or the
holder has not paid any fees as provided herein.
(b) The
suspension shall be effective immediately upon notice of such suspension
personally served upon the permittee or upon delivery of such notice
by certified mail. Such notice shall include a written statement of
the reasons for the suspension and shall include a statement that
the permit shall be revoked unless an appeal is made to the city council
within fifteen days after such notice or necessary repairs, corrections
or modifications are made within said fifteen-day period to the satisfaction
of the police chief or representative.
(c) If
no such appeal is made or if such repairs, corrections or modifications
are not made, the permit shall be automatically revoked.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1550 § 2, 1981; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)
(a) It
is unlawful to install or use an alarm system which upon activation
emits a sound similar to sirens in use on emergency vehicles or for
civil defense purposes.
(b) No
person shall use, permit or cause to be used any telephone device
or telephone attachment that automatically selects a public primary
trunk line of the city or police department and then reproduce any
prerecorded message to report any burglary, robbery or other emergency.
(Ord. 1479 § 1, 1978; Ord. 1841 § 21, 1992)