Item D - False Alarm Ordinance - Draft

DRAFT ALARM SYSTEM AND FALSE ALARMS ORDINANCE (Local Municipality’s Ordinance – will need further review and renumbered to match Tiffin’s code) CHAPTER 154A ALARM SYSTEMS AND FALSE ALARMS 154A.01 Purpose 154A.04 False Alarms 154A.02 Definitions 154A.05 Penalties for False Alarms 154A.03 Registration of Alarm Systems 154A.01 PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to assess a civil penalty for false alarms in Tiffin received by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office or Fire Department which require a Deputy to report to the scene or a response from the Fire Department to the scene. False alarms expose the public to danger as well as increasing the costs on the City and Fire Departments to respond to those alarms. 154A.02 DEFINITIONS. 1. “Alarm system” means any assembly of equipment, mechanical or electrical, and including all forms of audible exterior and interior alarms arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry, fire emergency and/or medical or other activity, requiring urgent attention, and to which Deputies, firefighters and EMS technicians are expected to respond. The term “alarm system” shall not include personal medical alert devices. 2. “False alarm” means a false alarm is any alarm that is activated on purpose or by accident or by system malfunction when there is no intrusion, fire, smoke or medical emergency. The City shall have the full authority to determine those situations and/or circumstances that may constitute a false alarm, but which are not defined below. A. Error or Mistake. Any action by any person owning or operating any dwelling, building or place, or any action by an agent or employee of said person which results in the activation of an alarm system when no emergency exists. B. Malfunction. Any unintentional activation of any alarm system caused by mechanical malfunction, flaw in the design, installation or maintenance of the system. C. Intentional Misuse. Any intentional activation of an alarm system when no burglary, hold-up, fire or other emergency exists or is in progress. 3. “Owner” means any person, firm, corporation, entity or leaseholder causing an alarm system to be installed in any house, dwelling, apartment, business, structure or place within the City. 154A.03 REGISTRATION OF ALARM SYSTEMS. 1. All residential or business property in which an alarm system has been or will be installed shall register the location of the residential or business property with the City. Said registration form shall include the following information: