8.32.070 - False burglary alarms.

A.

Any burglary alarm user having more than four (4) false alarms within any 12-month period shall be subject to suspension of police response and/or revocation of the permit and shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Revocation of a user permit shall be in accordance with the license revocation provisions specified in Chapter 5.02 of this Code, or its successor provisions. A certified letter will be sent to the alarm user and alarm business after the fourth false intrusion alarm informing them of the upcoming suspension or revocation. A hearing officer hearing a revocation proceeding shall have authority to suspend a user permit in lieu of revocation in appropriate cases. Any city burglary alarm user whose user permit is suspended or revoked by the city shall pay a reinstatement fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to the city before such permit shall be reinstated or reissued.

B.

A penalty is imposed for false alarms on an intrusion alarm system to which a peace officer responds to the call or arrival. The penalty is assessed on the user of the alarm system for each false alarm, after two (2) false alarms, in any twelve-month period. The amount of the fee is one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for the third and consecutive intrusion alarms.

C.

The South Salt Lake City police department will respond to all robbery/duress/panic alarms, when possible, regardless of the alarm permit holder's status; however, the police department's response to these types of activations are limited to burglar alarm systems which require an intentional act by a person on the premises to activate these types of alarms. Activation of these types of alarms which are determined to be false by the police department will be assessed a penalty of fifty dollars ($50.00) on the first, one hundred dollars ($100.00) on the second, two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the third, three hundred dollars ($300.00) for the fourth, five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the fifth and each additional alarm. If the alarm system is determined to be faulty, a nuisance, or in noncompliance with this chapter, and any amendments thereto, the police department has the option to not respond to the alarm activation.

D.

All alarm dispatch requests caused by an actual criminal offense, or with evidence of an attempted criminal offense, shall not be counted as a false alarm. The criminal offense must be reported within five (5) business days of the activation and must be accompanied by a police report.

E.

The alarm administrator or any law enforcement supervisor may cancel, without notice, any alarm dispatch caused by power or weather-related causes or other emergencies based upon priority, or alarm considered to be a nuisance.

F.

All penalties assessed under this chapter shall be due and payable on the date written notice of any penalty due is issued by the city treasurer. Any penalty which is paid within thirty (30) days of the due date shall be reduced by fifty dollars ($50.00). Any penalty, which is paid after thirty (30) days and within sixty (60) days of the due date, shall be reduced by twenty-five dollars ($25.00). Any penalty paid after sixty (60) days from the due date shall not be reduced. If any penalty is not paid within ninety (90) days of the due date, the city may use such lawful means as are available to collect such penalties. In the event the city files an action in court to recover such penalties, the city shall be entitled to recovery of its costs and attorney's fees in addition to the penalties due and owing.

(Ord. No. 2020-06, § VI, 6-3-2020)