HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance #2025 ORDINANCE NO. 2025
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
AMENDING THE HUNTINGTON BEACH MUNICIPAL CODE
BY ADDING THERETO CHAPTER 5 . 56 REGULATING
BURGLAR ALARM BUSINESSES, SYSTEMS AND USERS
The City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does
ordain as follows :
SECTION 1. The Huntington Beach Municipal Code is hereby
amended by adding thereto Chapter 5 .56 entitled, "Burglary and
Robbery Alarm Businesses ," to read as follows :
5. 56 . 010 Purpose. The declared purpose of this chapter
is to provide definitions and adopt uniform regulations for the
selling, leasing, installing, repairing, maintaining, testing
and operating of emergency reporting equipment; providing re-
strictions on emergency reporting terminated locally, keyed to
certain intermediaries , or keyed direct to the police department;
requiring current list of installations from alarm equipment sup-
pliers ; providing operational limits and requirements; requiring
instructions on operation to be furnished; requiring repair serv-
ice to be available and operational defects to be remedied;
authorizing city officials to inspect installations; regulating
the issuance of permits to alarm equipment suppliers and certi-
fication of alarm business employees; and providing for en-
forcement and administration of all regulations and requirements
of this code .
5. 56 . 020 Definitions .
(a) "Alarm agent" shall mean any person employed by an
alarm business whose duties include the altering, installing,
maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing, selling, servicing,
responding to, or causing others to respond to an alarm device.
(b ) "Alarm business" shall mean any business operated by
a person for a profit which engages in the activity of altering,
installing, leasing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, selling,
servicing or responding to a burglar or robbery alarm system, or
which causes any of these activities to take place .
(c) "Alarm system" shall mean an assembly of equipment and
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devices (or a single device such as a solid state unit) designed
and arranged for the detection of entry, attempted entry or in-
trusion at the specified location or for alerting others of the
commission of robbery, or both, to which police response is ex-
pected.
(d) "Alarm user" shall mean any person -on whose premises
an alarm system is maintained within this city except for alarm
systems on motor vehicles or proprietary systems . If, however,
an alarm system on a motor vehicle is connected with an alarm
system at a premises other than a proprietary system, the person
using such system is an alarm user. Also excluded from this
definition and from the coverage of this chapter are persons
who use alarm systems to alert or signal persons within the
premises in which the alarm system is located, of an attempted
unauthorized intrusion or robbery attempt. If such a system,
however, employs an audible signal_ emitting sounds or a flashing
light or beacon designed to signal persons outside the premises ,
such system shall be within the definition of alarm system and
shall be subject to this chapter .
(e) "Answering service" shall mean a telephone answering
service providing among its services the service of receiving
on a continuous basis through trained employees , emergency signals
from alarm systems , and thereafter immediately relaying the mes-
sage by live voice to the communications center of the police
department .
(f) "Automatic dialing device" shall mean an alarm system
which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by di-
rect connection or otherwise a pre-recorded voice message or
coded signal indicating the existence of the emergency situation
that the alarm system is designed to detect .
(g) "Audible alarm" shall mean that type of alarm system
which, when activated, sounds a bell or buzzer at the immediate
" location of the alarm installation.
(h) "Burglar alarm" shall mean an alarm system signaling
entry, attempted entry or intrusion on or into any building,
place or premises .
(i) "Central station" shall mean a centralized location
directly controlled by an alarm business, in which the operations
of electrical protection circuits and devices are transmitted to,
recorded in, maintained, and supervised.
U ) "Intrusion" shall mean any unauthorized entry on or
into any building, place or premises .
W "Private line" shall mean a telephone line leased for
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the express purpose of transmitting alarm signals between the
subscriber' s location to a central station, answering service
or the police department .
(1) "Proprietary system" shall mean an alarm system sound-
ing and/or recording alarm and supervisory signals at a control
center located within the protected premises , the control center
being under the supervision of the proprietor of the protected
premises . If a proprietary system includes a signal line con-
nection to a police communication center, a central station,
modified central station or answering .service, it thereby be-
comes an "alarm system" as defined in this chapter.
(m) "Robbery" shall mean the crime of robbery as defined
in the California Penal Code Section 211.
(n) "Signal line" shall mean the transmission line through
which the signal passes from one of the elements of the signal
transmission to another.
(o ) "Silent alarm" shall mean that type of alarm system
which, when activated, sounds a bell or buzzer or turns on a
light or otherwise records alarm activation at a predesignated
place other than the location where the alarm has been installed.
(p) "Subscriber" shall mean a person who buys and/or leases ,
or otherwise obtains an alarm signaling system and thereafter con-
tracts with or hires an alarm business to monitor and/or serv-
ice the alarm device.
(q) "Telephone company" shall mean the utility that fur-
nishes telephone services to the city.
(r) "UL" shall mean the abbreviation for Underwriters '
Laboratories .
5. 56. 030 Application for permit by alarm business . Any
person engaging in an alarm business in the city shall, within
thirty ( 30) days after the effective date of this chapter, apply
to the police chief for a permit to operate an alarm business .
Such application shall be submitted on a form provided by the
police chief, and shall be made by the individual proprietor of
such business , or by a partner, . or by the proper corporate of-
ficial, as is appropriate for the form of the business seeking
the permit, and shall include :
(a) The name, address , and telephone number of the alarm
business , and the type of business organization it is (individual
partnership, or corporation) . If the business is under an in-
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dividual proprietor, the name, address and telephone number
of owner; if a partnership, the name, address and telephone
number of each partner (general, limited, silent , etc . ) ; if
a corporation, the names and addresses of the directors,
principal officers and stockholders (any stockholder holding
more than twenty (20 ) percent of the corporation' s authorized
and issued stock) , and the state where incorporated.
(b) Certification that within ninety (90) days after the
effective date of this chapter or upon receipt of notice of ap-
proval of a permit application, whichever date occurs later,
the alarm business shall maintain a description of the alarm
system and devices offered for sale or lease to the public,
and a description of any services related to alarm devices
offered to the public .
(c) Certification that within ninety (90 ) days after the
effective date of this chapter, or upon receipt of notice of
approval of a permit application, whichever date occurs later, .
a complete list of the names and addresses of all persons in
the city to whom or for whom alarm systems have been sold and
who are currently under contract to the alarm business for
services on or after the effective date of this chapter shall
be maintained for inspection by the police chief during the
course of his official business .
(d) A complete list of criminal convictions , if any, ex-
cept for minor traffic offenses , of the applicant , or a list
of criminal convictions , if any, except for minor traffic of-
fenses , of each partner, officer, or local office manager,
if the applicant is other than an individual.
(e) A statement that the applicant will inform the
police department within ten (10) days after any substantial
change in the information required by this section.
5 .56 . 040 Permit--Fees . Permit applications shall be
accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of Fifteen Dollars ($15)
to cover the costs to the city of processing the application
and investigating the applicant.
5 .56 . 050 Permit--Effective period. Applicants already .
doing business in the city on the effective date of this chapter
may continue to do business while their permit applications are
being processed. An applic_ant-_ not . previously doing business .in
the city on the effective date of this chapter shall not com-
mence doing business until his application is approved.
The permit shall be valid for a period of one (1) year.
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Any permit or fee required to be obtained or paid pursuant
to this chapter shall be in addition to any other license
or fee required to be obtained or paid pursuant to this code,
provided, no permit shall be construed to authorize the con-
duct of any business prohibited by law,. or to conduct any
business in a manner prohibited by law or which has been de-
clared illegal, or to constitute a nuisance by any governmental
authority.
5 . 56 . 060 Permit--Renewal. It shall be the responsibility
of the alarm_business to apply for renewal of the permit at
least ten (10) days prior to the expiration of any existing per-
mit . The renewal application shall be accompanied by a nonre-
fundable fee of Ten Dollars ($10 ) .
5. 56 . 070 Permit--Application. The police chief shall
cause a report on the applicant to be prepared based on the
information contained in the application together with such.
other relevant information as may be obtained pertaining to the
applicant and his business . On . the basis of this report, the
police chief shall, within sixty (60) days after the receipt
of an application for an alarm business permit, either approve
or deny the issuance of a permit. Upon making a decision, he
shall: ,
(a) In the case of approval, notify the applicant , in
writing of the approval and inform him that upon presentation
of the notice of approval to the license department and the
payment of the required fee, the applicant will be issued a
permit to operate .
(b ) In the case of denial, notify the applicant , in
writing of the denial and of the basis for the denial. If
the basis for the denial can be corrected, the denial notice
shall so state and shall explain how these corrections may
be made and set a reasonable time limit .for making such cor-
rections . The notice of denial shall inform the applicant
that he may appeal the denial and set forth the procedure for
appeal .
5. 56. 080 Permit application--Denial--Appeal procedure .
The procedure for appeal following a denial of an application is
as follows :
(a) Within ten ( 10 ) days after receipt of the notice of
denial, the applicant shall file a notice of appeal with the
city clerk addressed to the city council and stating the basis
of the appeal .
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(b) Such hearing shall be held within thirty ( 30) days
of the filing of the notice of appeal. The city clerk shall_
cause the applicant to be given notice of the hearing by cer-
tified mail at least seven (7) days in advance of the date of
the hearing. The applicant, or his, designated representative,
may appear before the city council and make an oral _presenta-
tion of his appeal, or he may make the .appeal through, a written
statement, or he may do both. The city council shall rule on.
the appeal within twenty_ (20) days after it is heard, and such
ruling shall be final .
5 .56 . 090 Permit--Revocation.. In addition to any pen-
alties which may be imposed for the violation of certain pro-
visions of this chapter, the city may, pursuant to the provi-
sions of this section, revoke the permit of an alarm business
on any of the following grounds :
(a) Fraud or wilful and knowing misrepresentation or
false statement made in an application for a permit .
(b) Fraud or wilful and knowing misrepresentation or
false statement made in the conduct of an alarm business .
(c) Failure to correct any deficiencies in equipment
or operation within thirty (30) days after receipt of notice
of same from the police chief, or within a reasonable time
if the deficiencies cannot be corrected within the said thirty
( 30) days .
(d) Failure to comply within a reasonable time with
any order or notice issued by the police chief after the
permittee ' s rights to hearing and .appeal have been exhausted,
or failure after reasonable notice to permit the police chief
to inspect any lists which he is authorized to inspect . under
this chapter, or failure to comply with the standards imposed
by this chapter within a reasonable time after_notice or order
from the police chief or the city _attorney .
5. 56. 100 Permit--Revocation--Hearing. No alarm business
permit shall be revoked until a hearing is held by the police
chief. Written notice of the time and place of the hearing
shall be served on the holder of the permit at least ten (10),
days before the date set for the hearing. The notice shall
set forth a summary of the grounds advanced as the basis for
the revocation of the permit .
At the hearing, the holder of the permit, or his autho- .
rized representative shall begiven an opportunity to confront
and examine any adverse witness , and to present evidence on
his own behalf. After the hearing, the police chief shall
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either dismiss the complaint or notify the license depart-
ment that the permit should be revoked accordingto section
5 . 56.090 . In either event , the police chief shall cause the
holder of the permit to be given notice in writing of his de-
cision within ten (10) days after making it .
5 .56 .110 Permit--Revocation--Appeal. . The procedure for
appeal of a permit revocation is as follows :
(a) Any person whose permit is revoked pursuant to sec-
tion 5 . 56 .090 of this chapter shall have the right within .ten
(10 ) days after receiving notice in writing of the revocation
to file a notice of appeal with the city clerk addressed to , the
city council. Such appeal. shall set forth in detail the spe-
cific ground or grounds on which it is based.
(b ) Such hearing shall be held within thirty (30) days of
the filing of the notice of appeal. The city clerk shall cause
the applicant to be given notice of the hearing by certified
mail at least seven (7) days in advance of the date of the hear-
ing. The applicant may appear_ before the city council and _the
applicant, or his designated representative , may make an oral
presentation of his appeal, or he may make the appeal through a
written statement, or he may do both. The city council shall
rule on the appeal within seven (7) days after it is heard, and
such ruling shall be final .
(c) Within ten (10 ) days after an -alarm business has
exhausted all appeals with respect to such revocation, the
permittee shall notify all persons for whom it is required
to maintain a list pursuant to section 5 . 56 .030(c) of this
chapter of such revocation, and the notice shall advise such
persons that the alarm business must cease providing service
for or selling burglar and robbery alarm. systems to such
persons within thirty (30) days after they receive notice
of revocation. For the purposes of this section, any alarm
business other than a central station, modified central sta-
tion or telephone answering service may satisfy the notice
requirements by placing an advertisement in a newspaper or
newspapers published in the geographic areas in which its
customers are located, which advertisement shall be in. a
form prescribed by the police chief. Such advertisementshould .
appear at least one day _a week for three ( 3) successive weeks .
When the notice required by this subsection has been completed,
the alarm business shall submit a sworn certificate to the
police chief that it has met the requirements of this sub-
section.
5 .56. 120 Identification cards--Application. Every
alarm agent employed by an alarm business within this city
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shall be required to obtain. an identification. card from- the
police chief. Until the police . ch,ief acts upon the appli-
cation of an .alarm. agent -for an identification card, an alarm
business may issue a temporary identification. card, as ,pro-
vided in section 5 . 56.130 . The owners ,, managers , corporate
.officers and partners of all alarm businesses ,are also re--
quired to obtain identification cards from the police chief
if they directly engage in selling., installing, servicing,
maintaining or responding to , alarm systems within the city .
Any person who is not an alarm agent who, as an employee of
a licensed alarm business,, has access to. confidential in-
formation of an alarm user, or to monitoring radio equipment ,
must also obtain an identification card. Within thirty (30)
days of the effective date of this chapter, alarm agents and,
if required by this section, owners , managers , corporate of-
ficers and partners , shall submit applications to the police.
chief for identification cards . The application for the .
identification card shall be in. a. form prescribed by the
police chief and shall include the following:
(a) The applicant ' s full name and any aliases or other
names previously used, residence and business addresses and
telephone numbers .
(b) The applicant' s date and place of birth .
(c) A list of all felony and misdemeanor convictions of
the applicant.
(d) Two (2) classifiable sets of fingerprints .
(e ) Two (2) photographs of the applicant taken by
the police department .
(f) The name and- address of the alarm business where
the applicant is or will be employed.
(g) The applicant' s employment record for the prior
three (3) years .
(h) A statement that the applicant will inform the
police chief of any change in the above information or the
termination of the applicant ' s employment by the alarm busi-
ness within ten (10) days of such change .
(i) Any other information which the police chief maydeem
necessary to determine whether the applicant for an identifi-
cation card meets the requirements of this chapter.
5.56 - 130 Identification cards--Temporary . A temporary
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identification card may be issued by an alarm business for
its alarm agents or any other person required to obtain an
identification card in section 5 . 56 . 120 prior to the obtain-
ing of an authorized identification card from the police chief.
The form for temporary identification cards shall be prescribed
by the police chief and shall provide for the following:
(a) The name of the alarm agent or card holder.
(b) The home address of the alarm agent or card holder.
(c) The name and address of the alarm business for which
the alarm agent or card holder is employed.
(d) The date upon which the alarm agent or card holder
commenced employment with the alarm business and the expiration
date of the temporary identification card.
(e) A recent photograph of the alarm agent or card holder.
Prior to employing an alarm agent, an alarm business shall
require the names of at least two (2) references and the names
and addresses of employers for the past three (3) years of such
person and shall make reasonable and prudent inquiries prior to
issuing a temporary identification card to determine whether the
person applying for employment meets the requirements of this
section. If the alarm business has reason to believe that
the applicant does not meet the requirements of this section,
no temporary identification card shall be issued by the alarm
business . Within fourteen (14) days of the commencement of
employment with an alarm business, any new alarm agent must
submit an application to the police chief for a permanent
identification card under this section.
The temporary or permanent identification card required
by this section shall be carried by a person required to ob-
tain an identification card whenever such person is engaged
in the business of the licensee and shall be exhibited at
the demand of any lawful authority.
5 . 56 .14o Identification cards--Exemption. An alarm agent
shall not be required to obtain an identification from the police
chief if he currently holds a valid alarm agent identification
card from any other California law enforcement agency if such
governmental agency requires its alarm agents to meet the same
general qualifications of this section, and requires an alarm
agent to obtain and carry an identification card in the same
general form as required by this _chapter.
5. 56 . 150 Identification cards--Fees . Application for
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an identification card must be accompanied by a Ten Dollar
( $10) fee to cover costs of processing the application and
investigating the applicant .
5.56 . 16o Identification cards--Denial . The police chief
shall cause a report on the applicant to be prepared based
on the information contained in the application together with .
such other relevant information as may be obtained pertaining
to the applicant . No identification card shall be issued if:
(a) The applicant has been convicted of a felony (or
misdemeanor involving moral turpitude ) .
(b) The application contains any false statements made
wilfully and knowingly .
(c) The applicant is not employed as an alarm agent or
is not to be employed as an alarm agent by an alarm business
if he is issued an identification card.
If the application is approved, the police chief shall
cause an identification card to be issued to the applicant .
5. 56 .170 Identification cards--Denial--Appeal. If the
application is denied, the police chief shall notify the ap-
plicant, in writing, of the denial and of the basis for the
denial. The notice of denial shall inform the applicant
that he may appeal the denial and set forth the procedure
for appeal . The procedure for appeal shall be the same as
that provided in Section 5 .56 .200 .
5.56 . 180 Identification cards--Revocation. In addi-
tion to any penalties which may be imposed for the violation
of provisions of this chapter, the city may, pursuant to the
provisions of this section, revoke the identification card
of an alarm agent on any of the following grounds:
(a) Fraud or wilful and knowing misrepresentation or
false statement made in an application for an identification
card.
(b ) Fraud or wilful and knowing misrepresentation or
false statement made while employed as an alarm agent .
(c) Conviction of a felony or of a misdemeanor which
reflects unfavorably upon the card holder' s fitness to be
an alarm agent.
5. 56 . 190 Identification cards--Revocation--Hearing.
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No identification card shall be revoked until a hearing is
held by the police chief. Written notice of the time and
place of the hearing shall be served on the holder of the
identification card at least ten (10) days before the date
of the hearing. The notice shall set forth a summary of the
grounds advanced as the basis for the revocation of the iden-
tification card.
At the _hearing before the police chief, the holder of
the identification card shall be given an opportunity to
confront and examine any adverse witness, and to present
evidence in his own behalf. Within ten (10) days after the
hearing, the police chief shall either dismiss the complaint
or revoke the identification card. In either event, such
notification shall be in writing.
5. 56. 200 Identification cards--Revocation--Appeal.
Within ten (10 ) days after receipt of the notice of revoca-
tion, the applicant may file a notice of appeal with the city
clerk addressed to the city council and stating the basis of
the appeal .
Such hearing shall be held within thirty ( 30 ) days of the
filing of the notice of appeal. The city clerk shall cause the
holder to be given notice of the hearing by certified mail at
least seven (7) days in advance of the date of the hearing. The
holder may appear before the city council and the holder, or his
designated representative, may make an oral presentation of his
appeal, or he may make the appeal through a written statement,
or he may do both. The city council shall rule on the appeal
within seven (7) days after it is heard, and such ruling shall
be final.
5 .56. 210 Identification cards--Form. An identification
card issued by the police chief shall contain a recent photo-
graph of the applicant, the date of issue , the applicant ' s
signature, a statement that the card is valid for two (2)
years from the date of issue and such other information as
the police chief may in his discretion require . All identi-
fication_ cards shall be consecutively numbered.
5.56. 220 Identification cards--Return. An applicant
shall return an identification card to the issuing agency
or business upon termination of his employment with an alarm
business . An alarm business shall return to the police chief
an identification card issued by the police chief upon ter-
mination of the employment of the alarm agent . Any person who
violates or wilfully fails to complywith this section is
guilty of a misdemeanor.
5 .56. 230 Administrative rules . The police chief shall
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promulgate such rules as may be necessary for the implemen-
tation of this chapter and for determination of grounds for
clerical suspension, or revocation of any license or permit
required by this chapter. The rules shall be approved by the
city administrator and city council.
5 . 56. 240 Alarm systems standards . The following stand-
ards shall apply to alarm systems:
(a) Within six (6) months after the effective date of
this chapter, all alarm systems shall utilize equipment and
methods of installation approved by Underwriters Laboratories
or otherwise approved by the police chief.
(b) In those instances where Underwriters Laboratories
has not established standards for categories of equipment
or where new equipment is undergoing field testing, the police
chief may require that the alarm system be inspected at the
expense of the alarm business or alarm user by a professional
electrical engineer who shall certify whether the alarm system
appears to be safe and reliable .
(c) The central control unit of the alarm system shall
be protected by a key locking device and intrusion sensing
mechanisms.
(d) Reasonable precautions shall be taken to reduce
power noises and surges in the alarm power supply which may
cause false alarm activation.
(e) Early warning devices may and should be installed
in those alarm systems where the alarm users ' procedures or
environment warrant such protection from indiscriminate alarm
activations .
(f) The alarm system shall be completely separate from
all other alarm systems reporting fire or any other hazard
- not authorized by this chapter.
5 .56. 250 Automatic dialing device . No person shall use
or cause to be used any telephone device or telephone attach-
ment that automatically selects a public telephone line of
the city of Huntington Beach, the police department or the
telephone company operators , and . then reproduces any pre-
recorded message to report a burglary, robbery or any other
emergency of any nature .
5. 56. 260 Automatic dialing device--Intermediary services .
Persons owning or leasing an automatic dialing device may
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have the device interconnected to a telephone line transmitting
directly to a central station, the alarm user',s residence or
secondary place of business, or a licensed answering service .
The relaying of messages of intermediate services to the police
department shall be over a public telephone, except that central
stations may relay messages over a direct line .
5. 56. 270 Automatic dialing device--Standards . Auto-
matic dialing devices installed on any premises within the
city shall meet the following minimum standards :
(a) The contents of the recorded message to be trans-
mitted by such device must be intelligible and in a format
approved by the police chief as appropriate for the type
of emergency being reported.
(b ) The sensory apparatus and hardware comprising such
devices shall be maintained by the owner or lessee in such
physical condition that false alarms will be minimized.
5. 56 . 280 Automatic dialing device--Operating instruc-
tions. Every alarm business selling or leasing to any person
an automatic dialing device which is installed on such per-
son' s premises in the city after the effective date of this
chapter, shall furnish that person with instructions that pro-
vide adequate information to enable persons using such device
to operate it properly and, .if the device is to be serviced
or maintained by another alarm business , shall furnish such
other alarm business with a manual or other information nec-
essary to enable it to service or properly maintain such de-
vice .
If the police chief reasonably finds such information
to be incomplete or unclear, or inadequate to explain how
the device operates and is constructed, he may require the
alarm business to revise the information to meet his ap-
proval, and then to distribute the revised information to
persons who have had such devices installed as well as to
persons subsequently having such devices installed.
5. 56 . 290 Automatic dialing. device--Service. Every
alarm business selling or leasing to any person an automatic
dialing device which is installed on such person' s premises
in the city shall provide or make available at all times
service to repair such device should it malfunction, and
shall furnish to the person buying or leasing such device
written information concerning how service may be obtained
at any time, including the telephone number to call for
service .
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5. 56 . 300 Inspections . The police chief shall_ have
the authority, at reasonable times and upon reasonable oral
notice, to enter any premises in the city in or upon ,which
alarm systems or alarm businesses subject to this chapter
are located, to inspect the installation and/or operation
of such alarm systems or alarm businesses on official police
business .
5. 56. 310 Inspections--Disclosure of business information.
No city official or employee shall .knowingly or wilfully re-
veal any business information obtained during any inspection
other than for official police business .or for the admini.
stration and enforcement of this _chapter. Any person who
violates or wilfully fails to comply with this section is
guilty of a misdemeanor.
5. 56. 320 Violations--Report .. If an inspection reveals.
any violations of the provisions .of this chapter, . a written
report detailing such violations shall be promptly sent to
the owner, lessee, or other person. responsible for the alarm .. ,. . ,
system or business in violation. of_this chapter. Such report
shall require the correction within thirty ( 30) _ days after
receipt of the notice of the violation discovered, and shall.
state that a. failure to comply may result in the .revocation
of the alarm business ' license to operate, or in:.the revo-
cation of the alarm user' s permit, in accordance with pro-
visions of this chapter.
5. 56. 330 Required information--Alarm business . Each
alarm business shall provide the chief of .police with the
address of each building, place or premises within the city
for which the permittee sells or installs an alarm system.
This information shall include the firm name or name of . __
resident at that location, the . type of alarm system and. other
general information which:may be required by the. police de-
partment to assist in responding to the location for an
alarm activation.
5. 56 .340 Required information--Alarm .user. Each alarm
system user shall furnish the chief of police the name and
telephone number of any other person at a different location
who is authorized to respond and open the place where the
device is installed.. At least two (2) separate persons must
be included, one of which may be the permittee 's alarm busi-
ness . Any change in this list must be - reported within ten
(10 ) days of the change to the chief of police. Those. per-
sons listed shall respond to the location if so requested
by the police department . ;The information required of the
subscriber shall be restricted to the use of the police de-
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partment .
5.56. 350 Alarm business--Operator- instructions . Each
alarm business that installs or services an alarm system. shall
clearly instruct the subscriber- in- the- proper use._and . operation
of the alarm.system., . especial.ly, in. those., factors _which. can .
cause false_ alarms,. The. subs-criber.. shall. provide.-identical ._
training to each employee. subsequently authorized to operate
the alarm _system.
5.56.360 Alarm business--Service standards . Each alarm. _
business servicing. an. alarm .system within the city shall
offer service, directly or through an agent , on a . twenty-four .
(24) hour basis,_ seven (7) days a__week, to repair such device.,
so as to correct any _malfunction that may occur.. Each per-
mittee shall report to the .police.. department the emergency
phone number where such service can be contacted. _Each. per-
mittee shall respond -within two . (2) :hours after the permittee
has been notified by the subscriber or police. department that
the alarm _system has malfunctioned. The cost of such serv-
ice, if any, shall be the responsibility of the subscriber.
5. 56 . 370 Alarm business--Inspection records . Each alarm
business shall maintain. a . complete . record:_of inspection and .
service on each separate subscriber' s installed alarm system,
listing the nature of..malfunctions. found. and . corrective meas-
ures taken. Each permittee shall display to the police .chief
when requested, permittee 's ,record of , inspection and repair
for any subscriber' s alarm system.
5.56 . 380 Alarm system--Testing of. equipment . No alarm
system designed to transmit emergency messages . directly . to
the police department shall be. tested _.or. demonstrated without
first obtaining permission from the police chief. _ Permission
is not required to _test or.. demonstrate alarm - devices not
transmitting emergency messages: directly to the police de-
partment unless the. messages are to be relayed to the police
department.
5. 56. 390 Notice ,of disruption in service . When . an alarm .
business ' service to its alarm.users is disrupted for any
reason by the alarm business , or the alarm business becomes
aware of such disruption,. it shall promptly notify its sub-
scriber by telephone that protection no longer is being pro-
vided. If, however, the . alarm. business has written instruc-
tions from its alarm user. not. to .make .such notification by
telephone during certain hours , the alarm business may comply
with such instructions .
15.
5. 56. 400 Central stations--Standards . In addition to
any other requirements imposed by ,this chapter., an alarm busi-
ness shall not be granted a license to operate a central sta-
tion unless the police chief finds that the central station,
if operated, will meet the following minimum requirements :
(a) A large enough number of operators must be on duty
at all times to ensure that all emergency messages received_
will be relayed immediately to the police department over a
special trunkline.
(b ) Emergency messages from automatic devices shall
be given priority over all other messages received by the
answering services except that fire alarm signals may have
equal priority.
(c ) All operators shall be trained to handle emer-
gency messages .
(d) As soon as possible , after notifying the police de-
partment ., the operator concerned shall notify the subscriber
involved of such action and the nature of the emergency mes-
sage received.
(e) All subscribers of an answering service shall be
required by the service to cooperate in a test of its alarm
devices at least once a year to determine if the device is
working properly. The answering service shall certify that
the test requirements have been fulfilled. Unsatisfactory
test results shall be reported promptly in writing to the
subscriber and the police department . Until the device in
question is again working properly, the police department
may require that its use be discontinued.
5 .56. 410 Answering services--Standards . In addition
to any other requirements imposed by this chapter, an alarm
business shall not be granted a license to operate an an-
swering service unless the police chief finds that the an-
swering service, if operated, will meet the following minimum
standards :
(a) The premises from which the services are performed
must meet any applicable fire regulations .
(b) The premises from which the services are performed
must be secured in a manner approved by the police chief to
prevent entry by unauthorized persons .
5.56. 420 False alarms. More than four (4) false alarms
16 .
in any consecutive twelve (12) month period from any alarm
system may constitute grounds for "no emergency response
status" subject to the provisions of this chapter. Under
"no emergency response status ," the police department shall
not respond to any alarm activation from the subject alarm
system.
After the police department has recorded four ( 4) "false
alarms" within any consecutive twelve (12) month period from
any alarm system, it shall notify the alarm user and the
alarm business providing service or inspection to the alarm
system in writing by first class mail of such fact and re-
quire that the alarm user submit a report to the police
chief within fifteen (15) days after receipt of such notice,
describing efforts to discover and eliminate the cause or
causes of the false alarms . If, however, the alarm user,
by reason of absence. from the city or on any other reason-
able basis requests an extension of time to file the report ,
the police chief may extend the fifteen (15) day period for
a reasonable period. If the alarm user fails to submit such
a report within fifteen (15) days or within any such extended
period, the police chief may place the alarm system on "no
emergency response status ." Under such circumstances , the
police chief shall notify the alarm user, the alarm business
and the city administrator in writing by first class mail
of such action. Commencing ten (.10) days after such action,
the police department will not respond to the activation of
the alarm system. This shall continue until corrective
measures have been taken and certified by the police chief
or his representative .
5. 56. 430 Penalties for violation. Any person who vio-
lates or wilfully fails to comply with any section in this
chapter is guilty of an INFRACTION_ except where expressly
provided, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by
a fine not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) .
SECTION 2. This ordinance shall take effect thirty days
after its adoption. The City Clerk shall certify to the pas-
sage of this ordinance and cause same to be published_within
fifteen days in the Huntington Beach News , a weekly newspaper ,
of general circulation, printed and published in Huntington
Beach, California.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach at a regular meeting thereof held on the 15th
17.
day of December , 1975
ATTEST:
ALICIA M. WENTVBpRTFI
City Clerk Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Deputy City Clerk City tor
or
AS TO CONTENT:
City Administrator
� Allcla M, Wentworth CITY
Huntin ton Cnach a" CLERK of the C ty p}
Counc ! h c` erk cf the^ Cl
(" L City
been_pu.!,•h ;r, i t -h s r'ir.once h
as
r ch News on
to arc
..._. ALICIA C;ty.
70
F�I
».... .'llky Clerk
.
Ord. No. 2025
STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH )
I, ALICIA M. WENTWORTH, the duly elected, qualified City
Clerk of the City of Huntington Beach and ex-officio Clerk of the
City Council of the said City, do hereby certify that the whole number
of members of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach is seven;
that the foregoing ordinance was read to said City Council at a regular
adjourned meeting thereof held on the 8th day of December
19 75 , and was again read to said City Council at a regular
meeting thereof held on the 15th day of December 19 75 and
was passed and adopted by the affirmative vote of more than a majority of
all the members of said City Council.
AYES: Councilmen:
Bartlett, Wieder, Coen, Matney, Shipley, Duke, Gibbs
NOES: Councilmen:
None
ABSENT Councilmen:
None
L Alicia M. Wentworth
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk
of the City Council of the City
of Huntington Beach, California
By &Z,
Deputy City Clerk