Bell Municipal Code Art. V Alarm Installation and Monitoring Companies

A. No alarm installation or monitoring company shall operate, or cause to be operated, a security alarm system at an alarm site without a valid alarm registration. A separate alarm registration is required for each alarm site.

B. The fee for an alarm registration or an alarm registration renewal is set forth by resolution. The alarm site shall be registered and permit fee collected by the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company as set forth herein. No refund of a registration or reinstatement fee will be made.

C. Existing Security Alarm Systems. Any security alarm system which has been installed before the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be registered and the permit fee collected by the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company within 60 days after the effective date of said ordinance.

D. New Security Alarm Systems. Any alarm installation company and/ or monitoring company that installs a security alarm system on protected premises located within the City of Bell shall have 10 business days from the date of installation to notify the alarm administrator that a security alarm system has been installed and send the alarm administrator the required information as listed in the alarm registration section.

E. Failure of an alarm installation company and/ or monitoring company to notify the alarm administrator of a new security alarm system installation within 10 business days following installation shall result in a collection of a fee from the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company per installation.

F. The initial alarm registration fee and completed application must be submitted to the alarm administrator at the same time as the registration application or within 10 business days following an alarm system takeover.

G. It shall be the responsibility of the alarm installation company and/ or monitoring company to forward to the alarm administrator the alarms user's completed application, the notice of the new system and the appropriate fees within 10 business days of installation.

H.

1. Registration fees, set by resolution, are to be paid annually (based on a calendar year).

2. If the registration fee is not paid, then the location will be treated as not having a registered alarm which may result in response fees or suspension of response at that alarm site location.

3. The alarm installation company and/ or monitoring company are responsible for the collection of permit renewal fees from their respective customers and payment to the City of Bell.

I. Upon receipt of a completed alarm registration application form and the alarm registration fee, the alarm administrator shall register the applicant unless the applicant has:

1. Failed to pay a fee assessed; or

2. Had an alarm registration for the alarm site suspended and the violation causing the suspension has not been corrected; or

3. Selected an alarm installation company and/ or monitoring company that has failed to register or pay their registration fee to the City of Bell.

J. Each alarm registration application must include the following information:

1. The name, complete address (including apartment/suite number), and telephone numbers of the person or entity who will be the registration holder and be responsible for the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm system and payment of fees assessed;

2. The classification of the alarm site as either residential (includes apartment, condo, mobilehome, etc.) or commercial;

3. For each security alarm system located at the alarm site, the classification of the security alarm system (i.e., burglary, holdup, duress, panic alarms or other) and for each classification whether such alarm is audible or silent;

4. Mailing address, if different from the address of the alarm site;

5. Any dangerous or special conditions present at the alarm site, i.e., dog or other hazards;

6. Type of business conducted at a commercial alarm site;

7. Signed certification from the alarm user stating the following:

a. The date of installation, conversion or takeover of the security alarm system, whichever is applicable;

b. The name, address, and telephone number of the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company or companies performing the security alarm system installation, conversion or takeover and of the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company responsible for providing repair service to the security alarm system;

c. The name, address, and telephone number of the monitoring company if different from the alarm installation company; and

d. That a set of written operating instructions for the security alarm system, including written guidelines on how to avoid false alarms has been provided.

(Ord. 1180 § 1, 2010)

A. Each alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall designate one individual as the alarm response manager (ARM) for the company. The individual designated as the ARM shall be knowledgeable of the provisions of this chapter, as well as have the knowledge and authority to deal with false alarm issues and respond to requests from the alarm administrator. The name, contact number and email address of the ARM shall be provided to the alarm administrator. Failure to comply within 30 days after being notified in writing from the alarm administrator may result in the suspension of law enforcement response to the alarm installation company's or alarm monitoring company's alarm users.

B. The alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall provide written and oral instructions to each of its alarm users in the proper use and operation of their security alarm systems. Such instructions will specifically include all instructions necessary to turn the security alarm system on and off and to avoid false alarms.

C. Upon the installation or activation of a security alarm system, the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall distribute to the alarm user information summarizing:

1. The applicable ordinance relating to false alarms, including the potential for penalties and revocation or suspension of an alarm permit;

2. How to prevent false alarms;

3. How to operate the security alarm system; and

4. Ensure that all alarm users of security alarm systems equipped with a duress, holdup or panic alarm are given adequate training as to the proper use of the duress, holdup or panic alarm.

D. Ninety days after enactment of the ordinance codified in this chapter, alarm installation companies and/or monitoring companies shall, on new installations, use only alarm control panel(s) which meets or exceeds ANSI/SIA CP-01 Control Panel Standard Features for False Alarm Reduction.

E. An alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall not use automatic voice dialers to activate a law enforcement response.

F. After completion of the installation of a security alarm system, the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company employee shall review with the alarm user the customer false alarm prevention checklist or an equivalent checklist approved by the alarm administrator.

G. An alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall:

1. Report alarm signals by using telephone numbers designated by the alarm administrator;

2. Communicate alarm dispatch requests to the City of Bell in a manner and form determined by the alarm administrator;

3. Communicate cancellations to the City of Bell in a manner and form determined by the alarm administrator;

4. Ensure that all alarm users of security alarm systems equipped with a duress, holdup or panic alarm are given adequate training as to the proper use of the duress, holdup or panic alarm;

5. Communicate any available information (north, south, front, back, floor, etc.) about the location on all alarm signals related to the alarm dispatch request;

6. Communicate type of alarm activation (silent or audible, interior or perimeter);

7. Provide an alarm user registration number when requesting an officer's dispatch;

8. After an alarm dispatch request, promptly advise the City of Bell if the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company knows that the alarm user or the responder is on the way to the alarm site;

9. Give notice to the alarm user or responder within 24 hours via mail, fax, telephone, electronic mail, text messaging or other means when an alarm dispatch request is made; and

10. Upon the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, monitoring companies must maintain for a period of at least one year from the date of the alarm dispatch request, records relating to alarm dispatch requests. Records must include the name, address and telephone number of the alarm user, the alarm system zone(s) activated, the time of alarm dispatch request and evidence of an attempt to verify. The alarm administrator may request copies of such records for individually named alarm users. If the request is made within 60 days of an alarm dispatch request, the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall provide to the alarm administrator the requested records within three business days of receiving the request. If the records are requested between 60 days to one year after an alarm dispatch request, the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall furnish the requested records within 30 days of receiving the request.

11. Upon the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, monitoring companies must immediately provide the City of Bell with the names and phone numbers of the alarm user's emergency contacts, at the time of the alarm dispatch request or within 20 minutes after the alarm dispatch request if the City of Bell calls back to request the information.

H. An alarm installation company and/or monitoring company that purchases alarm system accounts from another person shall notify the alarm administrator of such purchase and provide details as may be reasonably requested by the alarm administrator within 10 business days of the purchase.

I. An alarm installation company and/or monitoring company shall provide the alarm administrator with a complete list of active customers, annually, as part of their collection of their alarm users annual registration fee renewal and to assist the alarm administrator with creating and maintaining the law enforcement's tracking database. This information will be provided to the alarm administrator in the form and format provided by the alarm administrator. The customer information will be provided in a format the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company is capable of producing and will include the following:

1. Permit number;

2. Customer name;

3. Alarm site address;

4. Installation or activation date; and

5. Alarm company license number.

(Ord. 1180 § 1, 2010)

All alarm installation companies and/or monitoring companies shall obtain an annual city business license. The alarm administrator shall issue the license to each applicant in good standing that successfully submits a business license application and registration form provided by the alarm administrator and the registration fee.

(Ord. 1180 § 1, 2010)