The ordinance codified in this chapter shall be known and may
be cited as the "City Burglar and Robbery Alarm Ordinance."
(Prior code § 6430)
The city council finds:
A.
The
majority of burglar and holdup alarms to which law enforcement responds
are false. Such false alarms result in an enormous waste of manpower
and there are such a large percentage of false alarms as may lull
law enforcement officers into a sense of false 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.
(Prior code § 6431)
As used in this chapter, the words defined in this section are
used as so defined, unless it is apparent from the context that a
different meaning is intended:
means any device, whether known as a burglary, robbery or
intrusion alarm, direct-dial telephone device, 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, or to signal the commission
of an unlawful act. 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 all 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.
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.
means a device designed to notify persons in the immediate
vicinity of the protected premises by emission of an audible sound
of an unauthorized entry on the premises or of the commission of an
unlawful act.
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.
means an alarm signal activated by causes other than the
commission or attempted commission of an unlawful act which the alarm
system is designed to detect. An alarm signal 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.
(Prior code § 6432 — 6437)
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.
(Prior code § 6438)
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
operation or the audible alarm shall automatically reset within thirty
minutes of its being activated.
(Prior code § 6439)
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.
(Prior code § 6440)
After any false alarm, the alarm owner shall, upon request by
the sheriff, submit a written report to the sheriff describing actions
taken to eliminate the cause of the false alarm. This report shall
be submitted within ten days of request by the sheriff.
(Prior code § 6441)
An alarm owner shall not operate an alarm system which generates
more than three false alarms in any twelve-month period.
(Prior code § 6442)
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.
(Prior code § 6443)
Violations of this chapter may be prosecuted in the same manner as any other misdemeanor. However, upon the first violation of Section 8.28.080 of this chapter, the sheriff shall serve a written notice on the violator describing the violation and specifying that the causes of the violation shall be corrected within ten days of the date of service of the written notice. No further action shall be taken, provided that the sheriff determines that the causes of the violation have been removed or fully corrected within the time period specified in this section.
(Prior code § 6445)
Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter is a misdemeanor
punishable by a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment
in the county jail for a period not to exceed six months, or by both
such fine and imprisonment.
(Prior code § 6444)
