[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Auburn 7-17-2003
by Ord. No. 14-2003. Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "City of Auburn
Private Security Alarm System Ordinance."
In order to further provide police, fire, and other emergency services
to protect the lives and property of its citizens and businesses the City's
public safety departments customarily respond to burglar, robbery, and fire
alarms activated by private security alarm systems. In an attempt to reduce
and prevent the increasing number of false alarms generated by businesses
and residences within the City of Auburn and to insure that emergency services
providers are not unnecessarily dispatched to such false alarms, within the
City of Auburn, standards and regulations for responding to these types of
alarms must be established.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any person or entity on whose premises a private security alarm device
is installed.
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction,
improper installation or the negligence of the owner or lessee of an alarm
system or his/her employees or agents, which results in the unnecessary dispatch
of Police or Fire Department personnel, whether or not the security alarm
user is aware of the malfunction.
Any mechanical or electrical device or system which is designed to
transmit a signal to the Cayuga County 911 Center or to a private central
alarm station which, in turn, notifies the Cayuga County 911 Center indicating
or warning that a crime, fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate
police or fire response has occurred, or is in the process of occurring.
A.
All alarms shall be installed in accordance with all
applicable municipal and governmental laws, ordinances, and requirements.
B.
Every alarm system shall be maintained in proper working
condition and shall meet accepted industry-wide standards in order to ensure
the elimination of false alarm activations.
C.
An alarm user or his/her representative shall immediately
respond to the source of an alarm after the notification of such alarm by
the Police or Fire Department. The alarm user or his/her representative shall
relieve the police/fire officer in charge whenever there is no apparent fire
or criminal activity at the scene of the alarm.
D.
When requested the alarm user shall provide Chief of
the respective safety department a record of inspection and/or repair of an
installed alarm system.
E.
An alarm user shall instruct the operators of the alarm
systems in the proper use and operation of the system in an effort to reduce
the activation of false alarms.
A.
Any person having knowledge of a false alarm shall immediately
notify the Police or Fire Department where applicable. Upon such occurrence
the Police or Fire Department shall make an investigation.
B.
The Police and Fire Departments shall keep a record of
all false alarms from all alarm systems within the City of Auburn.
C.
Penalties in accordance with the following schedules
shall be imposed for the relay of a false alarm:
(1)
First, second and third unintentional false alarm in
any year: a warning notice shall be issued;
(2)
Fourth unintentional false alarm in the same year: an
administrative penalty of $50 will be imposed:
(3)
Fifth unintentional false alarm in the same year: an
administrative penalty of $100 will be imposed;
(4)
Sixth unintentional false alarm in the same year: an
administrative penalty of $200 will be imposed.
(5)
For each false alarm knowingly or intentionally set off
in any year there shall be an administrative penalty of $200.
D.
The security alarm user may appeal any of the above-referenced
determinations or penalties by requesting a hearing before the Chief of the
respective department within 10 business days from the date a determination
and/or the penalty was imposed. Said hearing shall be held within 15 business
days of such request. A final decision shall be rendered within 15 business
days of the hearing.
E.
All notices referred to in the local ordinance
shall be served either personally by a member of the City of Auburn Police
or Fire Department, or by certified mail.
