3-5-11: NO RESPONSE TO FREQUENT FALSE ALARMS; APPEAL OF NO RESPONSE DETERMINATION:
A. Conditions Warranting Disregard Of Call: When the chief of police determines whether to make an immediate dispatch in response to notification of a signal from a security alarm system, the chief may disregard a call for police assistance when:
1. The call for assistance comes from an alarm system for a premises that has a record of sending four (4) false alarms in a six (6) month period; and
2. The call is the only basis for making the dispatch.
The chief may consider such a call for assistance as an additional factor in the chief’s decision to order an immediate police response when an in person call, verification from a person at or near the premises or other independent evidence shows need for immediate police assistance at the premises.
B. Written Notice: To discourage false alarms, the chief shall adopt a process of sending a letter or delivering other written notice informing the alarm user who has had a false alarm of the consequences of excessive false alarms, the need to take corrective action, and the prospect that four (4) false alarms in a six (6) month period shall result in the police disregarding alarms from the premises and not responding to requests for immediate police assistance unless there is an in person call for assistance from someone at or near the premises or other independent information that verifies the need for an immediate police response.
C. Content Of Notice Of No Response: Before determining not to respond to alarms from a premises as specified above, the chief shall send or deliver notice to the alarm user that:
1. Four (4) false alarms have been received from the property within a six (6) month period;
2. The remedy authorized in subsection A of this section may be taken;
3. The alarm system user may request a hearing before the chief or the chief’s designee and explain why the chief should not take the proposed action;
4. If no hearing is requested, the department will, after ten (10) days from the delivery of the notice, disregard alarms from the premises unless there is an in person call for assistance from someone at or near the premises or other independent information that verifies the need for an immediate police response; and
5. A requirement of an in person communication or other verification shall remain in effect for a period of one year.
D. Hearing: If a hearing is requested, the chief shall schedule the hearing within ten (10) days of the receipt of the request. At the hearing, the chief may consider such factors as: the steps that the alarm user or alarm system monitoring company has taken, or is taking, to correct the problem; the incidence of crime in the area of the premises; the facts and circumstances of the false alarms; and other relevant information presented by the alarm user or the alarm system monitoring company.
E. Suspension Of No Response: The chief may suspend or cancel the remedy under subsection A of this section if the chief determines that the alarm user or alarm system monitoring company has taken appropriate actions to prevent the recurrence of false alarms. (Ord. 5-4-1999, 5-6-1999)