[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Saco 5-1-1995
as Ch. III, Sec. 3-4, of the 1994 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended 5-3-2004; 12-20-2004]
The number of burglar alarms in use within the City has increased greatly
over the past few years. Along with this increase there has been an increase
in false alarms and associated problems, which have impacted the Police Department's
ability to respond to emergencies. This chapter recognizes the need for regulation
of the use of alarms to minimize false alarms and to compensate for the inappropriate
use of municipal resources in response to false alarms, and to clarify the
rights and responsibilities of the property owner and of the City of Saco.
[Amended 5-3-2004; 12-20-2004]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any mechanism, equipment or device designed for the detection of
an unauthorized entry upon any property, or signifying any other type of emergency
response, other than to a motor vehicle or vessel, and which emits an audible,
visual, electronic or other signal when activated.
Any person whose property is protected by an alarm system.
Any alarm signal which is not in response to an actual or attempted
unauthorized entry upon property, or other emergency requiring an immediate
police response, including any signal emitted by a negligently activated alarm
system or by an alarm system deliberately activated when an immediate police
response is not required, or by a malfunctioning alarm system. In the event
an alarm is activated as a result of a natural or unnatural event beyond the
property owner's control (i.e., disruption of the electrical service due to
storm, motor vehicle accident, and the like), no fee shall be imposed, at
the discretion of the Chief of Police.
No system shall be permitted which automatically transmits a signal
or alarm directly to the Police Department telephone lines.
[1]
Editor's Note: This amendment also repealed former § 57-3,
Monitoring fee, as amended.
Any alarm user whose alarm system produces a false alarm is subject
to the schedule of fees in this section.
A.
The City shall charge a fee, that shall be established
by the City Council after a public hearing,[1] for each false alarm to which the Police Department responds;
provided, however, that there shall be no charge for the first false alarm
and provided, further, that the fee shall be established by the City Council
at a public hearing for the sixth and all additional false alarms to which
the Police Department responds. For the purposes of this section, the number
of false alarms shall be based upon the calendar year and shall be calculated
annually.
[1]
Editor's Note: Copies of the current fee schedule are on file in the
office of the City Clerk.
B.
The City also reserves the right to collect false alarm
fees as otherwise permitted by law.
C.
Within the ten-day period after a demand for payment
of a fee assessed under this section, the person from whom the fee is demanded
may appeal the imposition of the false alarm fee to the Chief of Police, who
may abate or reduce the fee upon good cause shown. The decision of the Chief
of Police shall be final.
All new systems will have a one-month grace period from the false alarm provisions of § 57-4.
