Redondo Beach Municipal Code Ch. 11 Security Alarm Systems

The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards and controls of the various types of intrusion, hold-up, and other emergency signals from alarm systems that require police response or investigation, and for the businesses and persons installing and servicing such systems, in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

"Alarm system"

shall mean any device, whether known as a burglary, robbery, or intrusion alarm, direct dial telephone device, audible or silent alarm, or by any other name, which is used for the detection of an unauthorized entry into a building, structure, or facility or to signal the commission of an unlawful act. Auxiliary devices installed by a telephone company to protect telephone company systems which might be damaged or disrupted by the use of an alarm system are not included in this definition.

"Alarm agent"

shall mean any person who is self-employed or employed directly by an alarm business whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving, or installing an alarm system in or on any building, place, or premises.

"Audible alarm"

shall mean a device designed to notify persons in the immediate vicinity of the protected premises, by the emission of an audible sound, of an unauthorized entry on the premises or of the commission of an unlawful act.

"Direct dial device"

shall mean a device which is connected to a telephone line and, upon the activation of an alarm system, automatically dials a predetermined telephone number and transmits a message or signal indicating the need for an emergency response.

"False alarm"

shall mean an alarm signal activated through subscriber negligence or for reasons not of an emergency nature or when activated due to the malfunction of any segment of the alarm system and which necessitates response by the Police Department where an emergency situation does not exist.

"Permittee"

shall mean any person holding an alarm system permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

"Chief of Police"

shall mean the office of the Chief of Police of the City or designee.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979, as amended by § 1, Ord. 2571 c.s., eff. March 22, 1990)

No person shall engage in, conduct, or operate as an alarm agency without registering his or her name and filing a copy of his or her state identification card with the Chief of Police. No fee or application shall be required for such registration.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

It is unlawful for any person to use, install, or cause to be installed an alarm system on any premises within the City under his or her control without having an alarm system permit therefor.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

A separate alarm system permit shall be required for each premises on which an alarm system is used or installed.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

Applications for security alarm system permits shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee as shall be fixed and set by resolution of the Mayor and City Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979, as amended by § 2, Ord. 2571 c.s., eff. March 22, 1990)

Whenever any change occurs relating to the written information required on the permit application, the permittee shall give written notice of such change to the Police Department within five days.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

No person shall use any alarm system which is equipped with a direct dial and which, when activated, automatically dials any telephone number within the Police Department.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266, c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

Permittees shall notify the Police Department Dispatcher prior to any service, test, repair, maintenance, adjustment, alteration, or installation of a system which would normally result in a police response, which might activate a false alarm. Any alarm activated where such prior notice has been given shall not constitute a false alarm.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266, c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

No alarm system shall he installed or used which emits a sound which is similar to that of an emergency vehicle siren or civil defense warning system.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 979)

Every audible alarm system shall be equipped with a device which will automatically deactivate the alarm system not more than 15 minutes after the alarm system is activated.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

An alarm system permit may be revoked by the Chief of Police for any of the following reasons:

(a) For failure to observe any of the regulations or other provisions of this chapter;

(b) For false representations knowingly made upon any application or notice of change required by the provisions of this chapter;

(c) The Chief of Police may designate an alarm system at a specific location as a nuisance if such alarm system actuates excessive false alarms. It is hereby found and determined that four false burglary alarms within any three consecutive calendar month period or two false robbery alarms within any three consecutive calendar month period is excessive and thereby constitutes a public nuisance. The Chief of Police shall not consider any false alarm in his computation of nuisance alarms if such false alarm was generated by Acts of God or area electrical outages and was not the result of the negligence of the alarm user, or his agents or employees, or a defect in the alarm system; and

(d) Where an alarm system activates more than four false burglary alarms within a three calendar month period or two false robbery alarms within a three calendar month period, that permit shall be revoked.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979, as amended by § 3, Ord. 2571 c.s., eff. March 22, 1990)

A written notice of revocation, stating the reason for such revocation, shall be personally served upon or mailed to the permittee by certified mail addressed to the permittee at the permittee's address shown on the application or on the latest notice of change on file with the City. In the event the notice of revocation is mailed, service shall be deemed complete upon deposit in the United States mail. The effective date of the revocation of an alarm system permit shall be immediate upon the receipt of the notice of revocation.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979, as amended by § 4, Ord. 2571 c.s., eff. March 22, 1990)

Whenever the revocation of an alarm system permit becomes effective, the permit shall be surrendered forthwith to the Chief of Police, and the alarm system shall forthwith be removed or deactivated.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979)

Revocations may be appealed to the Chief of Police solely on the issue of whether or not the revocation was in error; evidence of changed circumstances shall not be permitted. Appeals shall be filed with the Chief of Police within 15 days following the service of the notice of revocation. Written notice of the time, date and place of hearing shall be given to the permittee in the same manner as the notice of revocation. The Chief of Police shall set the hearing no later than 15 days from the filing of the appeal. The decision of the Chief of Police shall be final.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979, as amended by § 5, Ord. 2571 c.s., eff. March 22, 1990)

After revocation of a permit, an applicant may reapply for a permit if the applicant can show a material change in the circumstances that resulted in the revocation. A reapplication fee shall be set and fixed by resolution of the Mayor and City Council.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1980, as amended by § 7, Ord. 2571 c.s., eff. March 22, 1990)

For the purposes of enforcing the provisions of this chapter, the Chief of Police, or his designee, shall have the authority to enter upon any premises within the City to inspect the installation and operation of an alarm system, the purpose of which is to report an emergency to the Police Department.

(§ 1, Ord. 2266 c.s., eff. August 1, 1979, as amended by § 7, Ord. 2571, eff. March 22, 1990)

There shall be imposed a response fee upon the owner or occupant of any building or structure upon which is located an alarm system which causes false security alarms above the permissible number of false security alarms as set and fixed by resolution, and for which there was a response by an agency of the City. The fee for such response costs shall be set and fixed by resolution, and shall be the amount of the actual cost of response.

(§ 1, Ord. 2653 c.s., eff. April 2, 1992, as amended by § 1, Ord. 2671 c.s., eff. October 22, 1992)