The new ordinance does not change the police department’s response to alarms, unless a permit holder accumulates ten or more false alarms in a calendar year.

Alarm FAQ Sheet

False Alarm Prevention Brochure

To view F.A.R.A. (False Alarm Reduction Association) VIDEO on proper use of an alarm system go to http://faraonline.org/fav-384k.wmv.

Why the changes regarding alarms?  For the past several years, 99 percent of all alarms to which the police department has responded have turned out to be false alarms.  The previous ordinance, which was adopted in 1983, allows each alarm permit holder five false alarms before any kind of fine is assessed.  That is a tremendous waste of valuable, and very limited, public safety staff time.  Time that would be better spent responding to legitimate alarms and other calls for service. 

The previous ordinance also only required alarm system owners to permit their system one time.  Since it did not require annual permitting or any form of notification when an alarm system was disconnected, when the ownership changed, or when a homeowner moved, maintaining an accurate and current list of permitted alarm systems was virtually impossible. 

Ordinance B-762-06 requires all alarm systems to be permitted on an annual (calendar year) basis.  Alarm permits will expire on December 31 of each year and must be renewed by completing an alarm permit application and returning it, along with the annual fee, to the permit desk at City Hall.  If the permit is not renewed by January 31 of the renewal year, a late fee of ten dollars ($10) will be assessed. 

There will be no refund of a permit, permit renewal, or permit reinstatement fee.  An alarm permit may not be transferred to another person.  A change in ownership or control of the alarm system will require that a new permit application be filed with the City.  If an alarm system is removed from a home or business, the permit holder must cancel the permit by returning the permit to the City.

The new annual permit fees are:

• Residential permits - $50
• Commercial permits - $100

Governmental and educational facilities are exempted from the fees by ordinance.  However, they must still register their alarm systems with the City and they are still subject to the false alarm fees below.

False alarm fees are:
# of False Alarms                  Fee
1-3                                          $0
4-5                                          $50
6-7                                          $75
8-9                                          $100
10                                           $100 and permit (police response) revoked

Sec. 30-81 (b)

(b) The Director shall refuse police response to any Alarm Notification from an Alarm Site that does not have a valid Alarm Permit unless the Alarm Notification was:

(1) a Duress Alarm;
(2) a Hold up Alarm;
(3) a Panic Alarm; or
(4) reported to 9-1-1 emergency telephone number or to the police department by a  person other than the Monitoring Company.

Anyone in violation of the provisions of ordinance B-762-06 may be fined between $200 and $500 for each violation.  Each day that a violation is permitted to exist constitutes a separate offense. 

Questions regarding the alarm ordinance should be directed to the police department at 817-426-9907.

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