Chapter 5.72
BURGLAR AND FIRE ALARMS
Sections:
5.72.020 Burglar alarm device or fire warning system terminating at emergency facilities.
5.72.025 Secondary phone line.
5.72.039 Filing of state licenses.
5.72.040 Notification of chief.
5.72.070 Quality of equipment.
5.72.080 Instruction as to operation of system.
5.72.090 Notice of name of serviceman or occupant.
5.72.095 Service requirements.
5.72.100 Service notification.
5.72.115 Audible alarm shutoff.
5.72.120 Standby power backup source.
5.72.130 False alarms—Public nuisance.
5.72.140 Administration—Regulations.
5.72.150 Reimbursement for false alarm.
5.72.010 Definitions.
(a) A "burglar alarm device" or "fire warning system," as used in this chapter, means any device which when activated causes an alarm to be sent directly to the Menlo Park police department, Menlo Park fire protection district or other police and fire department terminal originating from any building located within the city and transmitted from any switchboard, transferring terminal or other switching device, either by self-dialing prerecorded notification units, telephone lines, radio waves, sound waves, or any other means to alert any person or device of an intrusion, possible intrusion, open door, open window, holdup, or fire alarm. A burglar alarm device or fire warning system also means a system of devices that produces an audible alarm signal for the purpose of notifying the occupants of the presence of an intrusion, possible intrusion, open door, open window, holdup, or fire alarm. It shall not apply to simple smoke alarms which are battery operated and audible only to persons within the residence.
(b) A "main emergency terminal," as used in this chapter, means the telephone terminal utilized to transmit emergency information to the police or fire department and any other such terminal utilized for life purpose.
(c) "Subscriber" means a person contracting with an alarm company for any of its services.
(d) "Alarm company operator" means any person, business, or other entity operating for any consideration which engages in the installation, maintenance, alteration, or servicing of alarm systems or which responds to such alarm systems.
(e) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity.
(f) "Police Department" means the police department of the city. "Chief of police" means the chief of said department or his authorized representative.
(g) "False alarm" means an alarm signal from a burglar alarm device or fire warning system activated intentionally, through inadvertence, or because of mechanical malfunction to which personnel of the police department or fire district respond when their emergency service was not needed. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.020 Burglar alarm device or fire warning system terminating at emergency facilities.
It is unlawful for any person, including an owner of a building located within the city, to engage directly in the installation, servicing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, moving, or removing, in or on any building located within the city any burglar alarm device or fire warning system terminating at a main emergency terminal. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.025 Secondary phone line.
Any person wishing to have his/her alarms on a secondary phone-line terminating at the police dispatch center shall submit an application in writing to the chief of police. The chief of police may approve such application if the secondary phone line constitutes no hindrance to normal police department or city activities. A fee shall be charged for each such alarm installation in accordance with the city fee schedule and will not be prorated. The fee will be payable on or before June 30th annually. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.039 Filing of state licenses.
Each alarm company operator and each alarm agent doing business within the city on December 1, 1978, shall file a copy of his or her state identification card with the chief of police not more than thirty days after issuance of said card by the state. Each other alarm company agent and/or operator shall file a copy of his or her state identification card before beginning to do business within the city.
The chief of police must be notified immediately by the licensee should his/her license expire or otherwise become invalid. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.040 Notification of chief.
Each person with a burglar alarm device must notify the chief of police of such installation within ten calendar days of service commencement. He must also provide the name, address, and phone number of the responsible person and two alternatives who would be available to respond to the scene of the alarm, and open the premises to be searched. Each person with a fire alarm system must give similar notification to the fire chief. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.050 Response to alarm.
Upon notification by the police department that an alarm is activated, the owner, his alarm agent or the responsible person for the building shall immediately proceed to the premises. The response time must be a reasonable length of time as determined by the chief of police. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.060 Building permit.
All persons in the business of selling, installing or leasing alarms systems shall obtain an installation permit for each new installation from the building department of the city. Each installation shall be inspected by a building inspector of the city or the chief of police. The fee for each permit issued shall be in accordance with the master fee schedule of the city. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.070 Quality of equipment.
Alarm equipment sold, leased, maintained or serviced by an alarm operator within the city as of October 1, 1978, shall be approved by a nationally recognized electrical testing laboratory or by the chief of police. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.080 Instruction as to operation of system.
It shall be the responsibility of the holder of a permit to instruct, and reinstruct his subscriber, and/or the occupant of the premises wherein said burglar alarm device or fire warning system is installed in the proper use and operation of said device, whether silent or audible, including all necessary instruction in turning off said alarm, and in avoiding false alarms. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.090 Notice of name of serviceman or occupant.
Every person maintaining an audible burglar alarm device or fire warning system shall post a framed notice containing the names and telephone numbers of the persons to be notified to render service to the system during any hour of the day or night that such alarm sounds, unless such device also transmits notification to said persons upon its activation, and shall furnish the police department with said names and telephone numbers. The persons named shall include the occupant of the premises, the permittee responsible for the maintenance of the system, and at least one alternate. The framed notice shall be posted in such position as to be legible from the ground level outside and adjacent to the building or on the front door to which access may be gained of the building wherein such device is installed. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.095 Service requirements.
No person shall install, permit installation, maintain, or cause to be maintained, any burglar alarm device or fire warning system for which periodic service or maintenance is not provided. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.100 Service notification.
Each alarm company operator shall notify the city police department or fire communication center whenever a subscriber’s alarm system is under service or repair, and the system may be activated causing a police response. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.115 Audible alarm shutoff.
It is unlawful to operate an audible alarm system which does not shut off within a maximum of thirty minutes from the time of activation. This may be accomplished with either an automatic cutoff, or by manual operation. If the alarm system has an automatic cutoff with a rearming phase, the rearming phase must be able to distinguish between an open and a closed circuit, and if the circuit is broken the system shall not rearm. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.120 Standby power backup source.
All nonbattery alarm systems shall have a standby backup power supply which will automatically assume the operation of the alarm system should any interruption occur in power to the system. The transfer of power from the primary space to the backup must occur in a manner which does not activate the alarm. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part). 1978).
5.72.130 False alarms—Public nuisance.
Any false alarm shall be a public nuisance. Alarm devices or warning systems causing two or more false alarms in a period of two months may be abated. (Ord. 807 § 1, 1990: Ord. 689 § 1(b), 1983).
5.72.140 Administration—Regulations.
The provisions of this chapter shall be administered and enforced by the chief of police or fire chief. They are authorized to make inspections of the burglar alarm device or fire warning system and of the premises whereon said device is located. They shall have the power to make and enforce such rules and regulations as may in their discretion be necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.150 Reimbursement for false alarm.
Whenever the city police department receives a false alarm directly or indirectly from an alarm device or warning system, the owner of the device or system shall reimburse the city for the false alarm in the amount specified by the master fee schedule of the city. (Ord. 807 § 2, 1990: Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).
5.72.160 Compliance.
Any burglar alarm device or fire warning system installed on or prior to the effective date of this chapter shall be brought into conformity with the requirements of this chapter within a period not to exceed thirty days. Any person owning, managing, conducting, carrying on the business of, or permitting installation, servicing, maintaining, repairing, moving, or removing in or on any building in the city burglar alarm devices or fire warning systems on the effective date of this chapter shall be permitted a period not to exceed thirty days to make application as required under the provisions of this chapter. Upon the application to the city manager or his authorized representative and a showing of hardship by any person required to comply with this chapter under this section, the city manager or his authorized representative may permit an adjustment for a reasonable period of time. (Ord. 636 § 1 (part), 1978).