Chapter 5.30
ALARM SERVICES
Sections:
5.30.030 Registration required to operate an intrusion or physical duress alarm system business.
5.30.040 Individual employee’s registration required.
5.30.050 Registration procedure.
5.30.080 Riverton police department call records.
5.30.100 City liability limitations.
5.30.120 Interagency communications.
5.30.130 Deliberate false alarms.
5.30.010 Purpose.
To protect the emergency services of the city from misuses. This chapter governs intrusion and physical duress alarm systems, requires permits and registration, establishes fees, provides for the allocation of revenues and deficits, provides for revocation of the permit, provides for punishment of violations and establishes and system of administration. [Code 1997 § 9-4-71.]
5.30.020 Definitions.
As used in this chapter:
“Alarm business” means the business of any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity of selling, leasing, maintaining, monitoring, repairing, altering, replacing, removing, moving, installing, planning the installation, or assisting in planning the installation of any alarm system or causing any of the above to occur, whether in or on any building, structure, facility or premises.
“Alarm system” means any assembly of equipment, mechanical or electrical, arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which peace officers are expected to respond.
“Alarm user” means the person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or organization thereof of any kind in control of a building, structure or facility wherein an alarm system is maintained.
“Automatic dialing device” means a device which is interconnected to a telephone line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number and transmit by voice message or code signal any emergency message indicating a need for emergency response.
Burglar Alarm Certification Act (Section 13-18-1 et seq., Utah Code Annotated 1953). This chapter is promulgated pursuant to Section 13-18-18(4), Utah Code Annotated 1953, to require users of alarm systems and alarm companies to meet reasonable equipment and performance standards concerning false alarms.
“Coordinator” means the individual designated by the police chief to issue permits and enforce the provisions of this chapter.
“False alarm” means an alarm signal eliciting a response by peace officers when a situation requiring a response by them or other emergency response unit in fact does not exist. It includes an alarm signal caused by conditions of nature which are normal for that area and subject to control by the alarm business operator or alarm user. “False alarm” does not include an alarm signal caused by extraordinarily violent conditions of nature not reasonably subject to control.
“Interconnect” means to connect an alarm system, including an automatic dialing device, to a telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes a telephone, for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit a message upon the activation of the alarm system.
“Intrusion alarm system” means an alarm system signaling an entry or attempted entry into the area protected by the system.
“Local alarm” means any noise-making alarm device.
“Physical duress system” means an alarm system signaling a robbery or other physical endangerment.
“Police chief” means the chief of the Riverton police department, or his designated representative.
“Primary trunk line” means a telephone line serving the VECC system or sheriff dispatch that is designated to receive emergency calls.
“VECC and dispatch” are the governmental facilities used to receive emergency and general information from the public to be dispatched to the Riverton police department. [Ord. 23-14 § 2; amended during 2011 recodification. Code 1997 § 9-4-72.]
5.30.030 Registration required to operate an intrusion or physical duress alarm system business.
(1) It is unlawful for any person, partnership, corporation or association to own, manage, conduct or carry on the business of selling, leasing, installing, servicing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, moving or removing, or causing to be sold, leased, installed, serviced, maintained, repaired, replaced, moved or removed, in or on any building, residence or other property within the city any device known as an intrusion or physical duress alarm system, or automatic dialing device connected to an answering service, unless there exists a valid security certificate therefor, granted and subsisting in compliance with the provisions of the Burglar Alarm Certification Act and the name, address and certificate number or I.D. card number registered with the Riverton police department as provided in this chapter.
(2) The fee for an intrusion or physical duress alarm system business license shall be that prescribed in Chapter 5.05 RCC. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-73.]
5.30.040 Individual employee’s registration required.
It is unlawful for any person employed by a person having a valid security certificate under Section 13-18-4, Utah Code Annotated 1953, to engage directly in the selling, leasing, installing, servicing, maintaining, repairing, moving or removing in or on any building or other property within the city any intrusion or physical duress alarm system unless such person shall first register his name, address and I.D. card number with the Riverton police department. There shall be no fee for registration under this section. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-74.]
5.30.050 Registration procedure.
Every alarm business and its employees shall register their name, address and security certificate number or I.D. card number with the Riverton police department. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-75.]
5.30.060 Alarm user permits.
(1) Every alarm user shall have on their premises, or in their possession, an alarm user permit issued by the Riverton police department at no charge.
(2) It is unlawful for an alarm business to report, or cause to be reported, to the Riverton police department or other emergency service agency the activation of any alarm system on any premises for which the alarm user has not obtained an alarm user permit. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-76.]
5.30.070 Alarm information.
(1) An alarm information card will be completed and submitted to the Riverton police department’s alarm coordinator by the user of any alarm system prior to the operation of the system.
(2) This card shall set forth the full name, address and telephone number of both the owner or lessee on whose premises the system will be installed, operated, connected or maintained, and the name of the person or licensed alarm system business installing, maintaining or servicing the system, as well as the type of system to be installed, operated or maintained. The card shall further contain the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three individuals who may be contacted by peace officers responding to an alarm. The persons listed shall have authority to act for the alarm user in granting peace officers access to any portion of the premises concerned and shall be knowledgeable in the basic operation of the alarm system. The alarm input card shall contain such additional information as the Riverton police department shall reasonably deem necessary to properly identify and locate the user, the alarm business installing, servicing or maintaining the alarm system, and the persons to be contacted in the event of the filing of an alarm report.
(3) A service fee may be assessed upon a user when the peace officers responding to an alarm are unable to contact any of the listed parties due to outdated or inaccurate information provided by the user; or if none of the listed parties are available; or if the listed parties fail to respond to the scene within 30 minutes of notice. The service fee shall be determined by treating the violation as if it were a false alarm, as provided in RCC 5.30.110, and may be considered as a second instance for the computing of fees should the cause of the alarm be false.
(4) In addition to submitting the alarm information card, users of audible outside local alarm systems shall post near the alarm, and at a position readable from ground level, a code number furnished by the alarm coordinator to allow reference to the alarm information card required by this section. All such audible or visual alarm devices shall be equipped with an automatic cutoff device which will terminate the audible or visual alarm within 30 minutes. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-77.]
5.30.080 Riverton police department call records.
Alarm businesses who request the Riverton police department’s response to alarm signals shall maintain a record of all such calls, stating the time, date, location of the alarm and the name, address and phone number of the alarm user. The records shall indicate the cause of the alarm, if known. This record shall be current and shall be made available to the police chief or his designated representative at any time during normal business hours. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-78.]
5.30.090 User instructions.
(1) Every alarm business selling, leasing or furnishing to any user an alarm system which is installed on premises located in the area subject to this chapter shall furnish the alarm user with written instructions that provide information to enable the user to operate the alarm system properly.
(2) Every alarm business selling, leasing or furnishing to any user an alarm system which is installed on premises located in the area subject to this chapter shall notify in writing the alarm user of this chapter’s alarm user permit requirement within five business days of sale or installation. The notice shall be addressed to the alarm user, or, if the user is a business entity, to its manager or designated person in charge, and shall contain the user’s telephone number (if known) and the street location of the premises on which the alarm system is installed. A copy of such notice shall be mailed or delivered to the Riverton Police Department, Attention: Alarm Systems Coordinator, 12810 South Redwood Road, Riverton, UT 84065, at the same time the original notice is sent. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-79.]
5.30.100 City liability limitations.
The city shall not be liable for any defects in operation of burglar or robbery alarm systems, for any failure or neglect to respond appropriately upon the receipt of an alarm nor for the failure or neglect of any persons registered or issued a permit pursuant to this chapter in connection with the installation, operation or maintenance of the equipment necessary to or incident to the operation of such systems. In the event the city finds it necessary to order the system disconnected, the city shall incur no liability for such action. [Amended during 2011 recodification. Code 1997 § 9-4-80.]
5.30.110 False alarms.
(1) Any alarm user which has seven or more false alarms within a calendar year shall be subject to revocation, assessments and/or criminal penalties described in RCC 5.30.140. Revocation of a user permit shall be in accordance with the license revocation provisions specified in this code, as amended.
(2) A service fee is imposed for false alarms on a physical duress or intrusion alarm system to which peace officers respond. The fee is assessed on the user of the alarm system after three false alarms in any calendar-month period or after seven false alarms in any calendar year, whichever comes first. The amount of the fee is $15.00 for each responding unit.
(3) The maximum service fee that may be charged under this section based on the typical response by business type is as follows:
(a) Residential, three units;
(b) Small business, four units;
(c) Large commercial business and financial institution, six units.
(4) All service fees assessed under this chapter are due and payable on the date written notice of any fee due is issued by the city treasurer. If any service fee is not paid within 30 days of the due date, a penalty of $10.00 shall be added to each $15.00 service fee so unpaid. If any service fee is not paid within 60 days of the due date, an additional penalty of $10.00 shall be added to each $15.00 service fee so unpaid, for a total penalty of $20.00. If any service fee is not paid within 90 days of the due date, an additional penalty of $10.00 shall be added to each $15.00 service fee so unpaid, for a total penalty of $30.00. If any service fee is not paid within 120 days of the due date together with all applicable penalties, the city may use such lawful means as are available to collect such fee, including all penalties, costs and attorney fees. [Amended during 2011 recodification. Code 1997 § 9-4-81.]
5.30.120 Interagency communications.
A central station or other alarm dispatch center must provide the Riverton police department’s dispatch a toll-free telephone number for the conducting of business and contacting the central station dispatchers at the time of filing the alarm report. [Ord. 23-14 § 2. Code 1997 § 9-4-82.]
5.30.130 Deliberate false alarms.
No person shall cause to be transmitted any intrusion or physical duress alarm knowing the same to be false or without basis in fact. Central stations shall not request law enforcement officers to respond to alarm scenes when monitoring equipment indicates an alarm system malfunction signal. [Code 1997 § 9-4-83.]
5.30.140 Penalties.
(1) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a class B misdemeanor.
(2) All service fees assessed under this chapter are due and payable within 30 days after written notice of any fee due is issued by the auditor. A penalty of 10 percent of the fee due shall be assessed upon any person who fails to pay the fee within 30 days. The penalty shall be assessed for each 30-day period, or fraction thereof, that the fee remains unpaid beyond the original payment period.
(3) Failure to timely pay any service fees imposed in this chapter may result in the coordinator initiating action to revoke the business license of the alarm business. [Amended during 2011 recodification. Code 1997 § 9-4-84.]