5.60.040 False alarm—Response—Charge.

A.    False Alarm Monetary Penalties. For sheriff response to any false alarm the county shall charge and collect false alarm penalty as provided in this chapter from the person having or maintaining such alarm system on premises owned, rented or occupied by him or her. Any alarm user granted exemption of the fourteen (14) day waiting period shall be responsible for all false alarm responses within the fourteen (14) day period.

Such penalties shall be as follows:

(1)    For a first response to a false alarm at any alarm site within a twelve (12) month period, a penalty of fifty dollars ($50) shall be charged. The first alarm response penalty may be waived if the alarm owner agrees in writing to take responsibility for the alarm system and states the corrective action taken; however, the first alarm response will remain on record. A waiver form shall be provided by the alarm center and must be received within ten (10) days of the invoice date on the original notice.

(2)    For a second response to a false alarm at any alarm site with a twelve (12) month period after the first response, a penalty of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be charged.

(3)    For a third response to a false alarm at any alarm site within a twelve (12) month period after the first response, a penalty of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) shall be charged.

(4)    For a fourth response to a false alarm at any alarm site within a twelve (12) month period after the first response, a penalty of two hundred dollars ($200) shall be charged.

(5)    For a fifth response to a false alarm at any alarm site within a twelve (12) month period after the first response, a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) shall be charged.

(6)    For a sixth response to a false alarm at any alarm site within a twelve (12) month period after the first response, a penalty of three hundred dollars ($300) shall be charged, and if such succeeding false alarm occurs as a result of failure to take necessary corrective action prescribed under subsection B the sheriff may order the person having or maintaining the alarm system to disconnect such alarm system until the prescribed corrective action has been taken and certification of such corrective action has been provided to the sheriff’s office and may direct that the sheriff’s office will not respond to further alarm dispatch requests from such alarm site. The sheriff then shall send appropriate notice to the persons and/or alarm company listed on the alarm registration application and to CRESA or its successor. Provided, no disconnection or non-response shall be ordered for any alarm site required by law to have an alarm system in operation.

(7)    There shall be assessed a late payment penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25) for failure to pay any false alarm penalty assessed pursuant to this section within thirty (30) days from the billing therefor.

B.    Suspension of Response.

(1)    The alarm administrator may issue a citation as provided herein providing for the suspension of alarm response if it is determined that:

(a)    The alarm has six (6) or more false alarms in a twelve (12) month period; or there is a false statement of a material fact in the application for a registration;

(b)    The failure to register an alarm system as required by this chapter;

(c)    The alarm user has failed to make timely payment of a fee assessed under this chapter;

(d)    The alarm user has failed to submit a written certification from an alarm company, that complies with the requirements of this chapter, stating that the alarm system has been inspected and repaired (if necessary) by the alarm company; or

(e)    If the alarm registration is reinstated pursuant to subsection C of this section, it is determined that two (2) false alarms have occurred within sixty (60) days after the reinstatement date.

PROVIDED, no disconnection or non-response shall be ordered for any alarm site required by law to have an alarm system in operation.

(2)    A person commits an offense if he or she operates an alarm system during the period in which his or her alarm registration is suspended and is subject to enforcement and penalties set in this chapter. An alarm company commits an offense if it continues to request law enforcement dispatch(es) to an alarm site after notification by the alarm administrator that the registration has been suspended or revoked and is subject to enforcement and penalties set in this chapter.

(3)    Unless there is a separate indication that there is a crime in progress, the law enforcement authority may refuse law enforcement response to an alarm dispatch request at an alarm site for which the alarm registration is suspended.

C.    Reinstatement of Alarm Response. A person whose alarm response has been suspended may have alarm response reinstated by the alarm administrator or the alarm hearing examiner if the person has abided by one (1) or more of the following:

(1)    Submits an updated alarm registration form with the fifty dollars ($50) reinstatement fee;

(2)    Pays, or otherwise resolves, all citations and fees;

(3)    Submits a certification from an alarm company, that complies with the requirements of this chapter, stating that the alarm system has been inspected and repaired (if necessary) by the alarm company; or

(4)    Submits proof that an employee of the alarm company caused the false alarm. (Sec. 5 of Ord. 1994-11-42; amended by Sec. 5 of Ord. 2004-01-03)