[Ord. #87-015, § 1]
False alarms pose a hazard to Police Officers and the general
public, divert Police Officers from useful duties and therefore cause
a waste of police services. The purpose of this section is to reduce
or eliminate the incidence of false alarms.
[Ord. #87-015, § 2]
As used in this section:
Shall mean any mechanical or electrical device which is designed
or used for the detection of intrusion into a building, structure
or facility or for alerting others from an event within a facility,
or both, which event causes a local audible alarm or transmission
of a signal or message. Alarm systems include, but are not limited
to, direct dial telephone devices, audible alarms and proprietor alarms.
Devices which are not designed or used to evoke a police response,
or used to register alarms, that are not intended to be audible, visible
or perceptible outside of the protected building, structure or facility
are not included within this definition, nor are auxiliary devices
installed by a telephone company to protect its system which might
be damaged or disturbed by the use of an alarm system.
Shall mean a device which is connected to a telephone line
and upon activation of an alarm system automatically dials a predetermined
telephone number assigned and transmits a message or signal to the
Police Department indicating a need for emergency response.
Shall mean an alarm system designed to detect and alert an
unauthorized entry into a premises.
Shall mean the Chief of Police of the City of Albany.
Shall mean the City of Albany.
Shall mean an alarm installed on premises which are primarily
used for one (1) or more of the following:
Shall mean a calendar day.
Shall mean the activation of an alarm system through mechanical
failure, malfunction, improper installation or the negligence of the
owner or lessee of the alarm system or of his employees or agent.
Such terminology does include, for example, alarms caused by hurricanes,
tornadoes, earthquakes or other violent conditions. Upon failure of
the Police Department to find any evidence of intrusion, fire or other
need or cause for activating an alarm system, a conclusive presumption
of false alarm will be made.
Shall mean the alarm receiving center located in the Police
Department communication section. It receives by direct connection
alarm and trouble signals from those locations that contract with
the City for this service. The Police alarm board is restricted to
commercial and business structures only.
Shall mean the Police Department of the City.
Shall mean an alarm which is not regularly serviced by an
alarm business.
Shall mean an alarm system designed to alert persons or agencies
or law enforcement, etc., that a theft is being accomplished by force
or threat.
Shall mean any person, business or other entity which owns
or is entitled to possession of any premises on which an alarm system
has been installed.
Shall mean and include any additional numbers assigned by
a public utility company engaged in the business of providing communications
services and facilities to be used by means of a rotary or other system
to connect with the subscriber to the primary number(s) when the number(s)
are in use.
[Ord. #87-015, § 3]
All new audible alarm systems shall include a device which will
limit the generation of the audible sound of the system to no longer
than twenty (20) minutes after the activation when the alarm system
is protecting a residential structure or commercial structure. These
alarm systems should include an automatic reset device for the structure
being protected.
[Ord. #87-015, § 3]
Any new alarm system installed in a commercial business should
be supplied with an uninterruptible power supply in such a manner
that the failure or interruption of the normal utility electric service
will not activate the alarm system. The power supply should be capable
of at least four (4) hours of operation.
[Ord. #87-015, § 3]
No person shall use or operate, cause to be used or operated,
arrange, adjust, program, or otherwise provide or install any device
or combination of devices, including alarm systems, that will upon
activation either mechanically, electrically, automatically or by
any other means initiate the intrastate calling, dialing or connection
to any telephone number, line or instrument assigned to the City or
Police Department without prior written notification to the Chief
of Police.
[Ord. #87-015, § 3]
The only alarms authorized to terminate at the Police Department
Communication Center's alarm board will be commercial alarms. The
Chief may designate a specific alarm system business to regulate the
alarms terminating at the Communication Center to insure consistency
of equipment and procedures.
[Ord. #87-015, § 3]
The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to audible
alarms affixed to motor vehicles, motor homes, travel trailers, or
boats.
[Ord. #87-015, § 4; Ord. #91-05, § 5]
Any subscriber or person who maintains or has an alarm connected
to the Police alarm board or who has an alarm system which requires
Police response created by any signal, message or alarm and transmitted
to emergency units and which proves to be a false alarm, shall pay
a false alarm service assessment fee to the City.
a.
The maximum number of allowable false alarms reported shall be no
more than three (3) in any sixty (60) day period with a maximum allowable
of no more than eight (8) in a twelve (12) month period.
b.
Any number of false alarms in a twenty-four (24) hour period shall
be deemed as one (1) false alarm for purposes of this subsection.
c.
The Chief of Police shall notify in writing any subscriber that has
exceeded the number of allowable false alarms in the above described
time period. False alarms exceeding the allowable time limit shall
result in a service assessment fee as set forth in the City of Albany
Master Fee Schedule Resolution.
d.
A new alarm system or owner may be given a thirty (30) day grace
period for the purpose of training of parties responsible for the
alarm and testing of their equipment.
e.
Service assessment fees shall be due within fifteen (15) days of
billing date. A five (5%) percent per month fee shall be assessed
for each month that the fee is late.
[Ord. #87-015, § 5]
The Chief of Police may designate that a subscriber's alarm
is an alarm warranting a non-response by emergency units.
The Chief may establish a non-response status in lieu of the
service assessment fee. This non-response status will be based on
any of the following:
a.
Improper training of personnel at the location of the alarm system
or improper maintenance of the alarm system resulting in an excess
number of false alarms as set forth in this section.
b.
Failure to pay prescribed fees.
c.
Failure of responsible individuals to respond to the location of
an errant alarm for maintenance repair.
d.
The alarm system has been activated for reasons or offenses other
than probable burglaries or robberies.
e.
Failure to comply with any other provisions of this section.
[Ord. #87-015, § 6]
The Chief of Police shall notify any subscriber who is deemed
to be subject to the non-response status that five (5) days after
receipt of notification emergency units will no longer respond to
the alarm system. Such notification to the subscriber shall be in
writing and sent to the subscriber by certified mail, return receipt
requested. In the event that a return receipt is not received within
a reasonable time period, the Chief of Police shall accomplish notification
by posting the notice on the premises on which the alarm originated.
[Ord. #87-015, § 7]
The City shall be under no duty or obligations to subscribers
or any other person by reason of any provision of this section or
privileges of a subscriber hereunder, including, but not limited to,
any defects in the Police Alarm Board or any delays in transmission
or response to any alarm.
[Ord. #87-015, § 8]
The City may withhold the annual business license of any business
until the complete payment of any false alarm service assessments
are made in full.
