Chapter 8.05
ALARMS, ALARM COMPANIES, AND ALARM SYSTEMS
8.05.010 Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply to this article:
Alarm agent. An employee, licensed by the state and employed by, or acting in behalf of, an alarm company.
Alarm company. A business, licensed by the state, which sells and installs or repairs alarm systems and components.
Alarm system. A functionally related group of electrical or mechanical components that serve to detect, warn, or alert by means of sound or signal.
Burglary alarm system. An alarm system designed to detect and alert an unauthorized entry into a premises.
False alarm. An activation of an alarm system which is designed to detect and/or report a particular type of event when in fact that particular type of event has not occurred nor is there evidence that it occurred.
Monitored alarm system. An alarm system which signals a monitoring agency of a detection or warning.
Robbery alarm system. An alarm system designed to alert persons, or agencies, or law enforcement, etc., a theft is being accomplished by force or threat.
(Code 1965, § 6400; Code 2002, § 18-91. Ord. No. 86-9)
Cross references: Definitions generally, § 1.05.100.
8.05.020 Alarm company requirements.
- Each alarm company conducting business within the city limits shall file a copy of its California consumer affairs alarm operator’s license with the city Police Department.
- Each alarm company conducting business in the city shall possess a current city business license as required by this Code.
- All alarm agents shall possess a valid California consumer affairs alarm agent registration card while performing any alarm work in the city. The registration card shall be displayed upon demand to any city employee, representative, or person being served or solicited.
- Each alarm company conducting business in the city shall provide, to the city Police Department Administrative Services Division, a unique five-character identification number for each of its Concord subscribers using a monitored alarm system.
(Code 1965, § 6401; Code 2002, § 18-92. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.030 Alarm use permit required; issuance.
A. Permit required; exemptions.
- No person shall install or use an alarm system on any premises within the city limits until he has obtained an alarm use permit from the city Police Department.
- Alarm systems which are not designed to summon public and/or city Police Department attention, but which are privately monitored and responded to, are exempt from this requirement.
B. Application. Applicants for an alarm use permit shall provide the following information on a form provided by the city Police Department:
- The name, address, and telephone number of the applicant;
- The location (address and business name, if applicable) at which the alarm system is to be installed/used;
- If applicable, the name, address, and telephone number of the alarm company installing the alarm system;
- A description of the type of alarm system intended for installation/use; and
- The name and telephone number of at least two emergency response contacts capable of responding within 30 minutes to the alarm location if requested. The alarm use permittee shall contact the city Police Department Administrative Services Division to update information concerning emergency response contacts by the next normal business day.
C. Issuance or denial. Upon receipt of application for an alarm use permit, the city Police Department shall issue a permit for the designated premises, unless the city Police Department finds that good cause exists to deny that permit. Good cause to deny the permit shall include:
- Installation and use of alarm systems which are impermissible as defined in section 8.05.070 of this article; and
- Failure of the applicant to pay the alarm permit fee described below.
D. Notice of denial. In the event an alarm use permit is denied, the Commander of the city Police Department Administrative Services Division, or his designee, shall set forth the justification in writing.
E. Fee. The alarm use permittee shall pay an alarm use permit issuance fee in an amount set forth in the Resolution Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services.
(Code 1965, § 6402; Code 2002, § 18-93. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.040 Revocation and reissuance of alarm use permit.
A. If good cause exists, an alarm use permit may be revoked. Good cause for revocation shall include, but not be limited to:
- Failure to take corrective measures to prevent false alarms in excess of ten in any 30-consecutive-day period, or in excess of 20 in any 180-consecutive-day period; or
- Failure to pay service charges resulting from excessive false alarms as authorized by section 8.05.050 of this article.
B. Notice of alarm use permit revocation shall be made by the Administrative Services Division of the city Police Department to the permittee by certified mail.
C. Use of an alarm system after permit revocation notification has been issued is unlawful and may result in a fine of up to $500.00 for each documented occurrence.
D. Revoked permits may be reissued by the Police Department if the former permittee can show that action has been taken to correct the cause or causes which resulted in the revocation of the original alarm use permit. Reissuance of an alarm use permit shall be accomplished by the same procedure detailed in section 8.05.030 of this article.
(Code 1965, § 6403; Code 2002, § 18-94. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.050 False alarm service charges.
A. Applicability. A service charge shall be imposed on any city alarm system permittee for each false alarm response made by the city Police Department in excess of three responses in any 60-consecutive-day period, or in excess of eight responses in any 360-consecutive-day period.
- Multiple false alarms occurring in any 24-hour period shall be charged as one, to furnish time for corrective action by the permittee.
- A false alarm shall not be charged against a permittee if it can be determined that the alarm was activated by a telephone line problem or a utility power outage lasting more than four hours.
B. Amount. Service charges authorized in subsection (a) of this section will be set in an accelerating scale determined by the frequency of false alarms after the authorized false alarm standard is met, as set forth in the Resolution Establishing Fees and Charges for Various Municipal Services.
C. Billing and collection.
- The city Police Department shall advise the city Finance Department of all applicable charges.
- The charges shall be billed to the responsible city alarm use permittee by the Finance Department and shall be due within 15 days of the billing date.
(Code 1965, § 6404; Code 2002, § 18-95. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.060 Backup power supply for alarm systems.
A. All alarm systems shall be supplied with an uninterruptible power supply in a manner that failure or interruption of normal electrical service shall not activate the alarm system.
B. The backup power supply shall be capable of at least four hours of operation.
C. All alarm systems installed prior to the enactment of this section shall be required to comply with this section within six months of the date this section becomes effective.
(Code 1965, § 6405; Code 2002, § 18-96. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.070 Prohibited systems and uses.
A. No person shall use or operate, cause to be used or operated, arrange, adjust, program, or otherwise provide for, or install, any device or combination of devices that will, upon activation, either mechanically, electrically, or automatically, or by other means, initiate the intrastate calling, dialing, or connection to any police number, line, or instrument assigned to the city Police Department.
B. No person shall operate or use any alarm system that emits a sound similar to that of an emergency vehicle, siren, or civil defense warning system.
C. No person shall use or operate any alarm system that emits an exterior audible sound when such emission does not automatically cease within 15 minutes.
D. No person shall operate or use a burglary alarm system for any other purpose than detecting and reporting an unauthorized entry upon the property protected by the system, or operate or use a robbery alarm for any other purpose than reporting a robbery.
(Code 1965, § 6406; Code 2002, § 18-97. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.080 Appeal.
A. Any person:
- who is denied an alarm use permit; or
- whose alarm use permit has been revoked; or
- denied an alarm use permit reissuance; or
- who has received an alarm service charge assessment may appeal the action, in writing, to the Chief of Police.
B. Within five days of receipt of an appeal, the Chief of Police shall render a written decision on the appeal. If the appeal is denied, such decision shall be effective immediately upon service to the applicant/permittee or shall be effective 96 hours after being deposited in the course of transmission with the United States Postal Service.
C. If the permittee or applicant is dissatisfied with the action of the Chief of Police, such applicant or permittee may appeal such action to the City Council pursuant to section 2.05.040 of this Code.
(Code 1965, § 6407; Code 2002, § 18-98. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.090 Liability limitation.
The city shall be under no duty or obligation to alarm use permittees or any other persons by reason of any provision of this article. This includes, but is not limited to, any defects in police alarm boards, or delays in transmissions, and/or responses to an alarm call.
(Code 1965, § 6408; Code 2002, § 18-99. Ord. No. 86-9)
8.05.100 Penalties.
Violations of this article, unless specifically identified herein, are deemed misdemeanors and may be punishable in accordance with section 1.05.230 of this Code.
(Code 1965, § 6409; Code 2002, § 18-100. Ord. No. 17; Ord. No. 86-9)