A. The first through third false alarms within a twelve-month period shall result in a warning letter, but shall not incur any fee or charge for the response. Any fourth false alarm within the twelve-month period shall result in assessment of a fee as set forth by resolution of the city council. A fifth false alarm within the twelve-month period shall result in assessment of a fee as set forth by resolution of the city council. Any subsequent false alarm in excess of five shall result in assessment of a fee for each additional false alarm as set forth by resolution of the city council.

B. The term “false alarm” is defined as when an alarm signal is activated intentionally or inadvertently which results in a police response when there is no need for such response. If the alarm system owner contacts the police department prior to the arrival at the location of the alarm by a dispatched unit, the alarm system response shall not count as a false alarm.

C. Appeals. Any determination of a false alarm may be appealed by the alarm owner to the chief of police. Within five days of receipt of a written appeal, the chief of police or his authorized deputy shall set the time and place for the hearing of the appeal and give the appellant written notice thereof by United States mail, postage prepaid, to the address given in the appeal. The owner of the alarm system may appear at such hearing and testify if he or she desires. An appeal for financial hardship in paying accrued false alarm fees shall be part of the appeal process. The decision of the chief of police on the appeal shall be final, and the alarm owner shall be notified of the decision by regular United States mail, postage prepaid. There shall be a thirty-day grace period before termination of the alarm monitoring or nonresponse to privately monitored alarm.

D. Excessive False Alarms. In the event of receipt of more than twelve false alarm activations in a one-year period, such alarm system monitoring shall be suspended and the owner notified that the town will not continue to monitor their alarm system although the police department will continue to respond to outside monitoring calls for response or direct calls for service; however, additional false alarm fees in such cases will still be charged. (Ord. 635 §§ 1(D)—1(I), 2018; Ord. 527 § 1, 2001; Ord. 492 § 1(C), 1996; Ord. 432 § 2, 1987; Ord. 380, 1980; Ord. 354 (part), 1977; Ord. 328 § 7, 1974)