This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "burglary, robbery and fire alarm ordinance of the city of La Cañada Flintridge."
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 1, 1987)
The city council finds:
A. 
The majority of burglar and robbery alarms to which law enforcement responds are false. Such false alarms result in an enormous waste of manpower. That there are such a large percentage of false alarms as may lull law enforcement officers into a false sense of security. In responding to an alarm, they will probably assume it is a false alarm and may be wounded or killed by criminals at the location.
B. 
Alarm systems which automatically and directly dial any emergency phone number are very prone to be activated by current failures or other events having no connection with criminal activity and tie up such emergency phones making them unavailable to receive genuine emergency calls.
C. 
The danger to citizens through emergency response created by false alarms is unnecessary and hazardous.
D. 
The unnecessary waste of tax dollars through responses to false alarms must be eliminated.
E. 
False burglar and holdup alarms have created conditions causing danger and annoyance to the general public.
F. 
The majority of fire alarms to which the fire department responds are false. Such alarms are a waste of manpower and response to these alarms endangers citizens and is hazardous to fire department personnel.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 2, 1987)
As used in this chapter, the words hereinafter defined are used as so defined unless it is apparent from the context that a different meaning is intended.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
"Alarm system" means any device, whether known as a burglary, robbery or intrusion alarm, direct dial telephone device, fire alarm, audible or silent alarm, or by any other name, which is used for the detection of an unauthorized entry into a building, structure or facility, to signal the commission of an unlawful act, or to detect smoke, heat or particles of combustion. It shall include those devices which emit a signal within the protected premises only, are supervised by the proprietor of the premises where located, and are otherwise known as "proprietary alarm systems." Auxiliary devices installed by a telephone company to protect telephone company systems which might be damaged or disrupted by the use of an alarm system are not included in this definition.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 3, 1987)
"Alarm owner" means the person who owns, leases, rents, uses or makes available for use by his or her agents, employees, representatives or family, any alarm system.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
"False alarm" means an alarm signal activated by causes other than the commission or attempted commission of an unlawful act or by a fire which the alarm system is designed to detect. An alarm system activated by violent conditions of nature or other extraordinary circumstances not subject to the control of the alarm owner shall not constitute a false alarm.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 4, 1987)
"Audible alarm" means a device designed to notify persons in the immediate vicinity of the protected premises by emission of an audible sound of a fire or unauthorized entry on the premises or of the commission of an unlawful act.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 5, 1987)
"Direct dial device" means a device which is connected to a telephone line and upon activation of an alarm system, automatically dials a predetermined telephone number and transmits a message or signal indicating a need for emergency response.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
No person shall use any alarm system which is equipped with a direct dial device, and which when activated, automatically dials any telephone number in any office of the sheriff or fire department.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 6, 1987)
For every audible alarm, the alarm owner thereof shall post the names and telephone numbers of persons to be notified to render repairs or service during any hour of the day or night during which the audible alarm is operated. An audible alarm shall terminate its operations or the audible alarm shall automatically reset within 30 minutes of its being activated.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
A person shall not knowingly turn in a false alarm. This section does not prohibit a test of an alarm system as permitted in advance by the sheriff.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
After any false alarm, the alarm owner shall, upon request by the sheriff, submit a written report to the sheriff describing actions taken or to be taken to eliminate the cause of the false alarm. This report shall be submitted within ten days of the date of request by the sheriff.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to audible alarms affixed to motor vehicles or to a public telephone utility whose only duty is to furnish telephone service pursuant to tariffs on file with the California Public Utilities Commission.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979)
Any person, firm or corporation whether as principal, agent, employee or otherwise, violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by: (1) a fine not exceeding $100 for a first violation; (2) a fine not exceeding $200 for a second violation of the same provision of this chapter within one year; (3) a fine not exceeding $500 for each additional violation of the same provision of this chapter within one year. Any offense which would otherwise be an infraction is a misdemeanor if a defendant has been convicted of three or more violations of the same provision of this chapter within the 12 month period immediately preceding the commission of the offense and such prior convictions are admitted by the defendant or alleged in the accusatory pleading. Such person, firm or corporation shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of this chapter is committed, continued or permitted by such person, firm, corporation and shall be punishable as herein provided.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 136 § 2, 1986)
A. 
Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a violation of Section 5.04.080 shall not be prosecuted if the alarm owner presents evidence satisfactory to the sheriff that the alarm system generating false alarms has been removed, repaired or replaced and pays the service charge established by Section 5.04.120 within ten days after service of the notice specified in subsection B of this section.
B. 
Upon violation of Section 5.04.080 of this chapter, the sheriff shall serve a written notice on the violator describing the violation, setting forth the service charge due under Section 5.04.120 of this chapter, and specifying that the causes of the violation shall be corrected within ten days of the date of service of the written notice. Service of such notice shall be deemed completed upon the sheriff posting such notice on the property at which the alarm system generating the false alarm is located.
C. 
Other than as specified in this section, violations of this chapter may be prosecuted in the same manner as other infractions, or misdemeanors, as appropriate.
(Ord. 49 § 2, 1979; Ord. 145 § 7, 1987)
In addition to any other penalty or fine imposed by this chapter, there shall be a service charge in an amount as set forth by resolution of the city council assessed against an alarm owner for each response by the sheriff or fire department which occurs as a result of a false alarm, after three false alarms have previously occurred at the same address or location within a 12 month period.
(Ord. 136 § 1, 1986; Ord. 145 § 8, 1987)