[R.O. 2011 § 635.010; R.O. 2009 § 118.01; CC 1981 § 16-61; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 86-55, 3-21-1986; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
For the purpose of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALARM AGENT
Any person who is employed by an alarm business, either directly or indirectly, whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing on or in any building, structure or facility any alarm system.
ALARM BUSINESS
Any business engaged in any of the activities of selling, installing, servicing, altering, leasing, repairing, maintaining, replacing, moving, monitoring or responding to an alarm system or causing any of these activities to take place.
ALARM IDENTIFICATION NUMBER
A number issued to an alarm subscriber by the Police Department for the purpose of identifying that alarm system for dispatching and record keeping purposes.
ALARM REGISTRATION FORM
The form as provided by the Police Department to be filled out and turned in by each alarm subscriber, or its designated responsible party, or an electronic format in which the applicable data is supplied.
ALARM SUBSCRIBER
Any person who leases, contracts for, buys or otherwise obtains and operates an alarm system for the purpose of obtaining a response to the alarm from the Police Department or the Fire Department and on whose premises an alarm system is maintained, excluding audible alarms on motor vehicles. The owner of any building, structure or facility containing alarm systems installed in or on leased or rented individual apartments or residences contained therein shall be deemed the alarm subscriber.
ALARM SYSTEM
Any device which is designed or used for the detection of burglary or attempted burglary or for alerting others of the commission of a robbery or attempted robbery within a building, structure or facility, or both, and which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when activated for the purpose of deterring the intruder or notifying another person of the happening, or both; or a device for detecting fire or alerting medical personnel.
AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE
Refers to an alarm system which automatically sends over the telephone switching network a prerecorded voice message or coded signal indicating existence of an unlawful act to which a Police response is requested.
CHIEF OF POLICE
The Chief of the St. Charles City Police Department or his/her designated representative.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system whereby police, fire or medical personnel are summoned to a location and no criminal, fire or medical emergency in fact occurred or was attempted. The following shall not be considered false alarms under Section 635.050:
1. 
An alarm caused by adverse weather conditions, earthquakes, floods or electric power failure;
2. 
An alarm caused by or resulting from damage, testing or repair of telephone equipment or lines by the telephone company, provided that such incidents are promptly reported to the telephone company;
3. 
An alarm caused by an attempted and unauthorized or illegal entry, of which there is visible evidence;
4. 
An alarm caused by vandalism or destruction of property, of which there is visible evidence;
5. 
An alarm intentionally caused by the resident or occupant acting under a reasonable belief that a need exists to call in reference to an emergency; and
6. 
An alarm promptly followed by a call to the Police Department using an established procedure canceling the alarm prior to the arrival of a police officer.
PERSONS
An individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
PREMISES
Any residence, any building or structure, and any apartment, office, condominium, or any other unit thereof.
SECURED PREMISES
The premises intended to be protected bY the security alarm system.
TELEPHONE COMPANY
A utility that furnishes telephone service to the City area.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.020; R.O. 2009 § 118.02; CC 1981 § 16-63; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-17-1984; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
All alarm sounding reported, either directly or by relay from an alarm business, shall be done in a manner prescribed by the Chief of Police and shall include the requirement that the reporting party, alarm company or monitoring service give the valid alarm identification number, type of alarm, exact numerical address of the alarm site, alarm subscriber name and name of current alarm company.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.030; R.O. 2009 § 118.03; CC 1981 § 16-64; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-17-1984; Ord. No. 86-55, 3-18-1986; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991; Ord. No. 97-215, 6-18-1997; Ord. No. 15-068 § 1, 4-21-2015; Ord. No. 22-166, 12-20-2022; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
A. 
Upon receipt of the first false alarm within any calendar year, a warning notice shall be issued by the Police Department to the alarm subscriber. The warning notice shall be mailed to the alarm subscriber, or sent via the preferred method as indicated during the registration process. If the secured premises is not registered, a late fee shall be levied for a registration violation as provided in Section 635.105(I) of this Code.
B. 
Upon receipt of the second false alarm and any subsequent false alarms within any calendar year, a service fee in the amount stated in Section 150.030 of this Code shall be levied upon the alarm subscriber for each false alarm made. Failure to pay the service fee within thirty (30) days of demand by the Police Department shall constitute a violation of this Article and can result in the service rendered by the Police Department being suspended; provided, however, services rendered by the Fire Department for detecting fire or alerting medical personnel will not be suspended. A written notice shall be issued by the Chief of Police to the alarm subscriber, and to the alarm business providing service to such alarm subscriber, advising that police response to the alarm system shall be suspended for a period of time as determined by the Chief of Police. No alarm subscriber or alarm business shall send an alarm sounding notification to the Police Department from an alarm system that has been suspended. In addition, the Chief of Police shall notify the Director of Finance who shall cause an invoice of the appropriate service fee to be sent to the alarm subscriber. All service fees for false alarms under this Section shall be payable to the City of St. Charles.
C. 
Each and every false alarm upon which a response is made shall be considered a separate false alarm regardless of the frequency of such alarms.
D. 
Response to any alarm system can be terminated upon authority of the Police Chief.
E. 
The making of any false alarm by the alarm subscriber is declared to be unlawful if the alarm subscriber has had two (2) previous false alarms within that same calendar year. This offense shall be one of strict liability and subject to the penalty provisions in Section 100.150 of this Code.
F. 
Schools offering basic education to any grade (K–12) shall be exempt from the requirements of Section 635.030.
[1]
Cross Reference: As to penalty, § 635.150.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.040; R.O. 2009 § 118.04; CC 1981 § 16-65; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 85-3, 1-10-1985; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
The Police Department shall cancel any notice, fine or service fee upon satisfactory proof by the alarm subscriber that a particular alarm falls within the exceptions enumerated under "FALSE ALARM" in Section 635.010.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.050; R.O. 2009 § 118.05; CC 1981 § 16-66; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991]
A. 
Automatic Dialing Devices. No person shall use, operate or install any device that will, upon activation, automatically initiate a telephone call and deliver a recorded alarm message to any telephone of a customer of the public telephone company, without the prior written consent of such customer.
B. 
Noise. All bells, sirens or other noise sources that sound in the event of an alarm are to cut off automatically within fifteen (15) minutes after the alarm has been activated.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.060; R.O. 2009 § 118.06; CC 1981 § 16-67; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 91-109, 6-5-1991; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
A. 
Any person engaging in the alarm business and each alarm agent shall have upon their person an identification card as hereinafter set forth and each alarm agent is required to maintain on his/her person and shall produce such identification card upon request by any customer, prospective customer or lawful authority.
B. 
The identification card must contain as a minimum the following information:
1. 
Full face photograph, head size not less than one (1) inch vertical;
2. 
Name, height, weight, date of birth;
3. 
Name of employing company;
4. 
Capacity with the company (sales representative, repair technician, installer and the like);
5. 
Signature of authorizing individual of company; and
6. 
Signature of holder.
C. 
Each identification card issued by an alarm business to its agents and employees will be valid for a period of one (1) year from the date of issuance, or until the agent or employee terminates employment with the alarm business.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.070; R.O. 2009 § 118.07; CC 1981 § 16-68; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
It shall be unlawful for any person engaging in the alarm business or alarm agent, including a person employed by a subcontractor, to adjust, alter, fix or change any alarm system or part thereof without written disclosure of estimated costs and scope of work to the alarm subscriber.
[1]
Cross Reference: As to penalty, § 635.150.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.080; R.O. 2009 § 118.08; CC 1981 § 16-69; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
No alarm agent or alarm business shall sell, lease or install any alarm system without first furnishing the alarm subscriber or prospective alarm subscriber with a written offer in which each opening, item or area to be protected is identified and the device to be used is described in generic terms. Upon the installation of an alarm system, the alarm agent or business, including a subcontractor, shall furnish the alarm subscriber with written instructions and training in the proper operation of the alarm system to prevent the transmission of false alarms.
[1]
Cross Reference: As to penalty, § 635.150.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.090; R.O. 2009 § 118.09; CC 1981 § 16-70; Ord. No. 84-82, 7-24-1984; Ord. No. 22-168, 12-20-2022; Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
A. 
Any person engaging in the alarm business shall obtain a license as hereinafter set forth. The fee for such business license shall be the amount stated in Section 150.030 per year for each such business.
B. 
The applicant for such alarm business license shall supply all information requested on forms supplied by the Director of Finance.
C. 
The owner of an alarm business licensed with the City, including a subcontractor, shall notify the Director of Finance in writing within seven (7) business days of any change in ownership or other business information concerning said business.
[R.O. 2011 § 635.100; R.O. 2009 § 118.10; CC 1981 § 16-71; Ord. No. 84-80, 7-23-1984]
A. 
The provisions of Sections 635.060 through 635.090 do not apply to:
1. 
Persons engaged solely in the manufacture or sale of alarm systems or components from a fixed location and who do not install, maintain, service or plan the alarm system for any location.
2. 
Persons engaged in the repair of alarm systems or components from a fixed location and who do not either personally or through an agent visit the building, structure or facility in which the alarm system is installed.
[Ord. No. 25-024, 3-18-2025]
A. 
No alarm system installed on or after April 1, 2025, shall be operated until it is registered with the Police Department by completing an alarm registration form supplied by the Police Department, which shall also provide for the application of an alarm identification number. An alarm identification number shall be assigned to each alarm system and provided to the alarm subscriber and to the alarm business providing service to such alarm system. A separate registration and alarm identification number is required for each separate, non-integrated alarm system on the premises.
B. 
Each registration form must include the following information:
1. 
The full name(s), mailing address, residence and/or work place telephone number and email address (if applicable) of the alarm subscriber or at least one (1) responsible person regarding the respective alarm system at that secured premises.
2. 
The name, mailing address, and telephone number of at least one (1) authorized individual representative of a responsible person who can be immediately notified in the event of a false alarm or any emergency at that secured premises.
3. 
If applicable to the secured premises, the name and twenty-four (24) hour telephone number(s) of the individual or entity monitoring the respective alarm system.
4. 
Any dangerous or special conditions present at the secured premises that would be of value to the safety or security of a responding person or to the secured premises.
5. 
Other information that may assist responding persons in the event that a false alarm occurs at the secured premises.
C. 
A registration fee will be charged to the alarm subscriber at the time of initial registration of the alarm system and remitted to the City in a manner prescribed by the Director of Finance. A thirty (30) day grace period will be granted following a new alarm system installation. The registration fee, and an annual renewal fee only applicable to all commercial alarm subscribers shall be in the amount as stated in Section 150.030 of this Code.
D. 
All alarm systems installed and operating prior to April 1, 2025 shall comply with the provisions of this Section within one hundred eighty (180) days of such date, including payment of an initial registration fee. Each such alarm subscriber shall complete an alarm registration form and an application for an alarm identification number, in a manner and form prescribed by the Police Department. The Police Department shall provide, by written notice, the registration form and alarm identification number to the alarm business providing service to the alarm subscriber.
E. 
Each registration form shall automatically expire three hundred sixty-five (365) days after its date of issuance and, upon expiration, the alarm subscriber shall renew the information in its registration form and pay the registration renewal fee, if applicable. Each registration renewal must be received by the Police Department False Alarm Records Clerk before the then-effective registration form expires. A copy of the registration form shall be retained by the applicable alarm business for their records. At least thirty (30) days before the expiration date of each then-effective registration form, the Police Department False Alarm Records Clerk will attempt to provide written or electronic notice to the alarm subscriber and/or a designated responsible party of the need to renew that form.
F. 
No registration form shall be transferred to any other person, entity, or site.
G. 
Not later than ten (10) calendar days after each respective change in the registration information, the alarm subscriber for the respective alarm system shall mail or otherwise deliver to the Police Department False Alarm Records Clerk written notice of all changes that alter any information in the then-current registration form.
H. 
Information contained in the registration application form is confidential and is exempt from public disclosure to the extent authorized in Chapter 610, RSMo., as now or hereafter amended or superseded.
I. 
Failure for an alarm subscriber to resister or renew a complete alarm registration form by its due date shall be a separate violation of this Article and shall require prompt payment of a late fee as stated in Section 150.030 of this Code. Late fees are in addition to other service fees and fines.