§ 32-45. Proper alarm equipment.

Whenever an alarm business agrees or contracts with any person to maintain or service an alarm system, such business shall:

(1)

Not program an alarm system so that it is capable of sending one plus duress alarms. Alarm businesses may continue to report one plus duress alarms from alarms programed with this feature prior to December 31, 1998. However, after January 1, 1999, when performing a takeover or conversion, an alarm business must remove the one plus duress alarm capability from the alarm system being taken over or converted.

(2)

After September 15, 1998, not install a device for activating a commercial holdup alarm which is single action, nonrecessing, nonlatching or not individually zoned.

(3)

Ensure that all burglar alarm systems installed after September 15, 1998, will be equipped with an audible alert that can be heard by the user throughout the protected premises (silent holdup or duress alarms are excluded from this provision).

(4)

Ensure that all burglar alarm systems installed after September 15, 1998, will be equipped with standby batteries to operate for not less than four hours if power is interrupted. Backup batteries should also prevent false alarms during power outages.

(5)

After September 15, 1998, ensure that automatic dialing services designed to transmit signals directly to the communications center of the police department, which is reached by dialing 911, are prohibited.

(6)

Ensure that, when servicing an alarm system, every effort is made to avoid a false dispatch by either placing the alarm system on test and/or canceling any accidental alarm notification. If it is later determined that a false alarm was attributed to an alarm user's account due to the alarm company's negligence, the alarm business shall be required to pay the fine in question on the user's account.

(Ord. No. O-246-98, § 4¼-13, 9-23-98; Ord. No. O-114-2008, § 8, 6-17-08)