Section 4-6-1. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to establish standards and controls for the various types of automatic alarm devices which require police response.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985]

Section 4-6-2. Definitions. For the purpose of this article, the following words and terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed:

"Alarm provider" - Any person, corporation, partnership, or other entity of any sort or description whatsoever which provides, whether or not for profit, a central alarm station or which provides, whether or not for profit, an alarm device or which signals from an alarm device and reports receipt of said signals to the Northglenn Police.

"Alarm user" - Any person, corporation, partnership, or other entity of any description whatsoever which causes to be located upon property wherein it has any interest, whether ownership or leasehold or other interest, an alarm device or an audible alarm device.

"Audible alarm device" - Any alarm device which produces an audible signal at the premises where it is installed, whether by means of bells, horns, sirens, or other mechanisms, thereby notifying persons within audible range of the signal that police should be notified. Smoke detectors or fire detectors located in individual residences or businesses are expressly excluded from this category of audible alarm device.

"Central alarm station" - Any facility which is manned at all times by trained operators employed to receive, record, and validate alarm signals and to relay information about validated signals to the police radio dispatch room when appropriate.

"Chief of police" - The appointed chief of the Northglenn Police Department, or the Chief's designee.

"Alarm Device" - Any alarm device or system which transmits its alarm signal from the location of the alarm to the police radio dispatch room, other police dispatch facility, or central station by any means except a direct dial alarm device as defined in this section.

"False alarm" - Any alarm signal originating from an alarm device or audible alarm device, to which the police respond and which results from:

False activation, including reporting a robbery where no actual or attempted robbery has occurred, or reporting a burglar alarm where there is no evidence to substantiate an attempted or forced entry to the premises;

Alarm malfunction, including mechanical failure or electrical failure;

Alarm triggered by negligence including overly sensitive settings.

Provided, however, that false alarms shall not include an alarm signal caused by violent conditions of nature or other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to control by the alarm user.

"Direct dial alarm device" - Any device which, when activated transmits a prerecorded message or other signal by telephone, directly to the police radio dispatch room requesting a police or fire response.

"Director" - The Finance Director of the City of Northglenn or the Finance Director's designee.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985; 1824, 2022]

Section 4-6-3. Direct Dial Alarm Devices Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation, or other entity to sell, lease, install, maintain or have in operation on any premises in the City of Northglenn any direct dial alarm device, as defined in section 4-6-2.

Direct dial alarm devices used by the physically handicapped are specifically exempt from this prohibition.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985; 1824, 2022]

Section 4-6-4. False Alarms Unlawful.

It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally cause the transmission of an alarm such person knows to be false.

It shall be unlawful for any alarm user to allow the transmission of a false alarm, as above defined. Transmission of a false alarm by an alarm user pursuant to this subsection 4-6-4(b) shall subject the alarm user to a charge as specified in Section 4-6-9 hereof.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985; 1824, 2022]

Section 4-6-5. Responsibility of Alarm User. An alarm user shall:

Respond to the location to where an alarm originated within one hour after a request by the police department, or shall contractually provide for such response to such request by an alarm provider.

In the event any alarm or warning signal is audible to others not on the premises where the audible alarm device is maintained, terminate, or cause to be terminated, any audible alarm signal at a time no later than fifteen (15) minutes after the activation of said audible signal.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985]

Section 4-6-6. Charges for False Alarms. No alarm user shall be charged for any of the first six (6) false alarms in any one calendar year, provided that not more than three (3) of said false alarms occur in any calendar month. The first false alarm after six (6) in any one (1) year or three (3) in any calendar month shall result in a charge being imposed in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00), the second false alarm shall result in a charge of fifty dollars ($50.00), and the third and all subsequent false alarms shall result in a charge of one hundred dollars ($100.00).

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985]

Section 4-6-7. Collection of Charges.

For the purposes of this section, an alarm user who is lessee, occupant, or tenant of the premises from which the false alarm originated shall be deemed agent of the owner thereof.

Whenever the police department determines a charge shall be made pursuant to section 4-6-6, a bill and notice shall be sent to the alarm user at the alarm user's last known address, stating the assessment which has been made, the reason therefore, the date payment is due, and notifying the alarm user that the alarm user has a right to a hearing before the Chief of Police if a request therefor is made before the due date.

All assessments are due and payable to the City of Northglenn within fifteen (15) days of mailing of the notice required in subsection (b), except, if a hearing is timely requested, the assessment is due within ten (10) days after an adverse decision at such hearing.

Collection of charges as a lien: If the alarm user shall fail to pay the assessment within thirty (30) days after the same becomes due, the Director shall certify such assessment to the county treasurer to be levied on the premises and collected the same as general taxes. Ten (10) percent of the amount shall be added to the assessment to pay the cost of collection.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985; 1824, 2022]

Section 4-6-8. Grace Period After Installation. For the first thirty (30) calendar days following installation of a police alarm device or audible alarm device, no charge shall be made for any false alarms in order to allow for proper installation and adjustments of said alarm systems.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985]

Section 4-6-9. General Penalty Authorization. Unless another penalty is provided for herein, upon conviction of any action or omission declared to be unlawful by this article, a violation shall be punishable as provided in Section 1-1-10(a)(2) of this Code.

[Source: Ord. 782, 1985; 1659, 2013]