[Code 1965, § 54.01; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1976]
(a)
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words shall have the
meanings respectively ascribed to them:
- ALARM EQUIPMENT SUPPLIER
- Any person, firm or corporation that sells, leases and/or installs emergency alarm systems in the City of Crestwood.
- ALARM USER
- The resident or commercial establishment protected by an emergency alarm system.
- AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE
- Any device which, when actuated by a criminal act, fire, unauthorized intrusion or other emergency, activates a local noise-making device or transmits a pre-recorded message or other signal by telephone, radio or other means to a central station, modified central station, license answering service or directly to the communications center of the Crestwood Police Department and/or South County Fire Alarm.
- DIRECTOR
- The City Administrator or his authorized representative.
- DISPATCHING AUTHORITY
- The Crestwood Police Department and/or South County Fire Alarm.
- FALSE ALARM
- An emergency alarm which is actuated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional act to which the Crestwood Fire or Police Department responds, including alarms caused by the malfunction of the alarm system, except that the following shall not be considered false alarms:
- (1) Alarms caused by the malfunction of the indicator in the Crestwood Police Department;
- (2) Alarms caused by the testing or repair of telephone equipment or lines;
- (3) Alarms caused by an act of God such as earthquakes, flood, windstorm, thunder or lighting;
- (4) Alarms caused by an attempted illegal entry, of which there is visible evidence;
- (5) Alarms intentional caused by the alarm user acting under a sincere belief that a need exists to call the Police or Fire Department;
- (6) When prior notification of said testing or repair has been given to the City dispatching authority.In determining the existence of the false alarms, a decision shall be made in favor of the alarm user, if the Fire Chief or Chief of Police, as applicable, finds that a doubt exists as to the cause of the alarm.
[Code 1965, § 54.02; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1976]
(a)
Application for license. Each alarm equipment supplier engaged in
selling, leasing or installing emergency alarm systems in Crestwood
shall apply to the director for the license on a form to be provided
by him. Any person who desires to become an alarm equipment supplier
serving residents of Crestwood shall first apply to the director for
a license on a form to be provided by him, and shall include among
other things the following:
(1)
Name, address, telephone number and type of business organization.
If a partnership, the names and addresses of the partners. If a corporation,
the names and addresses of the principal officers and the state of
incorporation;
(2)
A statement that such firm and its employees are licensed and bonded
in compliance with the applicable ordinances of the county;
(3)
A list of the names and addresses of persons for whom installations
in the City have been made by the applicant in Crestwood prior to
the effective date of this chapter;
(4)
Certification by the applicant that police record checks have been
initiated on all employees in the office or offices serving the City,
and that no person convicted of an offense (other than for minor traffic
offenses) found in such check will be employed on jobs within the
City;
(5)
A statement of the type and availability of repair and/or maintenance
service that the applicant proposes to offer to the public;
(6)
A statement of the security to be afforded by the applicant for the
wiring diagrams and/or other security plans of installations made
or to be made; and
(7)
A statement that the applicant is willing to comply with such reasonable
rules and regulations about details of installation and operation
of such systems as may be issued by the director.
(b)
Action on application. The director shall furnish a copy of the application
to the Chief of Police for his investigation and recommendation. On
the basis of the application and the report of the Chief of Police,
the director shall, within 60 days after receipt of the completed
application, approve or disapprove such application for a license,
and shall notify the applicant. If approved, the applicant shall pay
the required fee for the license. If disapproved, the notice to the
applicant shall state the reasons. The applicant shall have the right
of appeal by the following steps:
(c)
Instructions on operation. Each alarm equipment supplier who sells
or leases and installs an emergency alarm system in the City shall
furnish the alarm user with written instructions as to the way in
which the device operates. He shall also provide initial training
on the operation of the system, and, upon request from the alarm user,
refresher training. Each alarm equipment supplier shall also exhibit
to the director, for his review, a copy of such instructions. If the
director finds that the instructions are incomplete, unclear or otherwise
inadequate, he may require the alarm equipment supplier to have the
same revised to meet the director's approval and then promptly
distributed to persons for whom installations of such alarms have
already been made, as well as to persons for whom installations are
henceforth made.
(d)
Repair service required. Each alarm equipment supplier that sells or leases, and installs an emergency alarm system within the City must offer service, directly or through an agent, to repair such alarm so as to correct any malfunction that may occur. At the time of installation, each alarm equipment supplier shall furnish to the alarm user written information as how service can be obtained at any time, including the telephone number to call for service; and the alarm user shall be responsible for having the system repaired as quickly as possible after he learns of any malfunction. No alarm equipment supplier shall perform any service on any alarm system allowed to terminate in the Crestwood Police Department and/or South County Fire Alarm, without first personally appearing and notifying the dispatching authority, as applicable, of same, and disconnecting said alarm system at the alarm user's end and again notifying the dispatching agency of the completion of the work. If any alarm system service company shall fail to check in with the Crestwood Police Department before servicing such system, or shall fail to disconnect such system so that it is no longer in service during the period when it is being worked on, such alarm service company shall pay to the City service charges in the amounts and on the basis set forth in § 4-6.
(e)
Cancellation of license. In addition to the penalties provided for
violation of any provision of this Code, the City may, after notice
and hearing, cancel the license of an alarm equipment supplier on
any of the following grounds:
(1)
Fraud, misrepresentation or false statement contained in any application
for such license;
(2)
Fraud, misrepresentation or false statement in the conduct of the
business authorized by such license;
(3)
Failure to correct any deficiencies in equipment or operation after
receipt of due notice from the City; or
(4)
Violation of any provision of this chapter.
Said licenses shall not be canceled until a hearing shall have
been held by the director and his recommendations regarding cancellation
acted upon by the Board of Aldermen. Written notice of such hearing
shall be served upon the holder of such license at least 10 days before
the date of the hearing. The notice shall also contain a brief statement
of the grounds alleged as the basis for cancellation of the license.
The licensee shall have the right to appeal to the Board of Aldermen
as outlined in subsection (b) of this section.
|
[Code 1965, § 54.03; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1976]
(a)
Police Department terminals. Only financial institutions required
by regulations of federal agencies to have appropriate security devices
installed for their protection shall be permitted to have equipment
and indicators installed in a panel in the communications center of
the Crestwood Police Department.
(b)
Automatic dialing devices. No automatic dialing device installed
after the effective date of this chapter shall be keyed to the trunk
line of the Crestwood Police Department or South County Fire Alarm.
[Code 1965, § 54.04; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1972]
All emergency alarm systems equipped with any exterior sound-producing
device, including but not limited to gongs, buzzers, sirens, bells
or horns, shall be equipped with a time device which limits the operation
of such exterior sound-producing device to 15 minutes, except that
commercial installations shall be allowed 30 minutes.
[Code 1965, § 54.05; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1976; Ord. No. 1611, § 2, 5-11-1976]
(a)
Permit required. Any prospective alarm user who desires to install
an emergency alarm system shall first apply for and obtain a permit
from the director on a form to be provided by him. Each application
shall be signed by the applicant and shall include, among other things,
the following:
(1)
The name, address and telephone number of the alarm user;
(2)
The name of the alarm equipment supplier;
(3)
The name of the intermediary to which the alarm system will be connected;
and
(4)
The name, address and telephone number of at least one other person
with access to the premises protected by the system.
(b)
Installations by licensed suppliers. No emergency alarm shall be
installed by other than a licensed alarm equipment supplier. No alarm
equipment supplier shall service emergency alarms unless such supplier
is licensed.
(c)
Operational requirements. All emergency alarm systems shall be subject
to the following operational requirements:
(1)
The sensory mechanism used in connection with such alarms must be
adjusted to the degree reasonably possible to suppress false indications
of fire or intrusion, so that alarms will not be actuated by natural
phenomena, including but not limited to: Transient pressure change
in water pipes, short flashes of light, wind noises or exterior pressure
change such as rattling or vibration of windows or sonic booms and
vehicular noise adjacent to the installation.
(2)
The alarm user shall be responsible for maintaining the system in
good repair to assure reliability of operation.
(3)
The alarm user shall also be responsible for seeing that the system
is not misused.
[Ord. No. 4189,[1] § 1, 5-26-2009]
(a)
False alarms to which the Fire or Police Departments respond shall
result in the following service charges to the property owner or occupant:
For the first three combined false alarms to which either the Fire
or Police Departments respond in a calendar year there will be no
service charge assessed to the property owner or occupant; for each
subsequent false alarm to which either the Fire or Police Departments
respond in a calendar year, the property owner or occupant shall be
charged a service charge in the amount of $50.
(b)
Refusal to pay any such service charge issued by the City within
30 days shall be considered a violation of this chapter and subject
the property owner or occupant to the general penalty provisions of
the Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the repeal
of former § 4-6, as amended.
[Code 1965, § 54.07; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1976]
(a)
Alarm equipment suppliers. The fee for a license for an alarm equipment
supplier shall be $50 for the first calendar year or part thereof.
The annual renewal fee shall be $10.
(b)
Date of assessment. All licenses, permits and fees due to the City
under the terms of this chapter shall be due and payable on the last
business day of January of each year.
[Code 1965, § 54.08; Ord. No. 1592, § 2, 1-27-1976]
The City shall take every reasonable precaution to assure that
alarm signals received by the City are given appropriate attention
and are acted upon with dispatch. Nevertheless, the City shall not
be liable for any defects in operation of automatic dialing devices
and signal line systems, for any failure or neglect to respond appropriately
upon receipt of an alarm from such a source nor for the failure or
neglect of any persons with a license issued pursuant to this chapter.
In the event that the City finds it necessary to disconnect an emergency
alarm system, the City shall incur no liability by such action.