Sec. 10-69. Alarm business duties.
The duties of an alarm business shall be as follows:
A. To install an alarm system compatible with the environment, to take reasonable measures to prevent the occurrence of false alarms, and, if it has agreed to provide maintenance or repair service to the system, to service the system within seventy-two hours of a request for service. The alarm business shall not install a single action non-recessed button as a device to activate a holdup or panic alarm.
B. To provide written and oral instructions to each of its alarm subscribers and the principal occupants of the buildings or premises protected by an alarm system in the proper use and operation of the system. Such instruction will specifically include all instructions to turn the alarm system on and off and to avoid false alarms.
C. To provide each proprietor and subscriber with a copy of this Article, an alarm subscriber/proprietor permit application, and false alarm prevention material. The alarm business shall complete and sign the City of Phoenix Alarm Information Form with proprietor or alarm subscriber, and submit the form as required in subsection G of this section. The form must be signed by an alarm company representative and the alarm subscriber or proprietor before submission to the Police or Fire Department.
D. Upon leasing or renting an alarm system:
1. To conspicuously place on the premises a tag identifying the pertinent alarm business, including the telephone number to call when the alarm has been activated.
2. To maintain records of the location of these alarm systems, devices or services and the name and telephone number of the person and alternate to be notified whenever the alarm is activated and to provide such information to the Police or Fire Department upon request.
3. To inactivate or cause to be inactivated the audible alarm within fifteen minutes of the notification of its activation in the event the primary and alternate cannot be contacted or do not respond.
E. Upon leasing, renting, selling or monitoring an alarm system:
1. To establish a central receiving station which will monitor these alarm systems. The central receiving station shall attempt to contact the alarmed location by telephonic or other electronic means on every alarm signal except a holdup, robbery, panic, or duress alarm activation, whether or not actual contact with a person is made, before requesting a Police or Fire response to an alarm system signal. The central receiving station must use enhanced call verification for every alarm signal except a fire, holdup, robbery, panic, or duress alarm activation prior to making an alarm dispatch request. The central receiving station will not contact the Police Department with any non-critical signals such as supervisory, trouble advisory, freezer or temperature monitoring, or other alarm activations that detect electrical or mechanical problems.
2. To organize its central receiving station in order to be able to readily and positively identify the type of alarm, including but not limited to burglary, robbery, holdup, panic, or fire alarm, and the location of the alarm, if there is more than one system; whether the alarm is audible or silent; the alarm subscriber permit number and the description of the zone or sensor activated, and the name and response time of a responsible party.
3. To maintain records as to each of these alarm systems, devices or services which shall include the name of the owner or occupant of the premises; the name and telephone number of the subscriber, a primary person and at least one alternate responsible for responding to the premises when the alarm is activated; information concerning whether the alarm system includes an audible alarm; and records of any alarm activation for a period of one year from the date of the activation. The records required by this paragraph shall be made available for inspection to any law enforcement officer of this State or City regulatory licensing inspections official upon twenty days’ prior written demand. The business may require the law enforcement officer or inspector to complete an inspection log with name, serial or badge number, and time, date and purpose of the inspection.
4. To notify the Police Department of activated alarm systems in the manner prescribed by the Director of the Police Department, including such reasonable information concerning the alarm system as the Police Department may request. Reasonable information shall include copies of central station alarm activity reports, the names of persons from the activated alarm location who have contracted with the alarm business, and any mailing or telephonic information for the activated alarm location. The information shall be made available at any time upon request for inspection by Police or Fire Department representatives.
5. To arrange for either the alarm subscriber, alarm agent or other responsible representative to go to the premises of an activated alarm system within thirty minutes of the activation of the alarm in order to be available to assist the Police or Fire Department in determining the reason for activation and securing the premises. In no event shall there be an unreasonable delay in arriving at the location of the alarm.
6. To notify the alarm subscriber or other responsible person, in the case of a monitored alarm system, of all alarm activations at the alarm subscriber’s premises within twenty-four hours of activation, not including weekends or holidays, by telephone, facsimile transmission, or written notice deposited in the United States Mail.
F. To cease responsibility for an alarm system pursuant to this Article, the alarm business shall send written notice to the Police Department, or to the Fire Department for a fire alarm system, in the event the alarm business ceases to lease, rent, maintain, service or monitor any alarm system. The notice shall be sent within ten days after the date service or responsibility is discontinued.
G. To submit on a form and in the manner prescribed by the Director of the Police Department or Director of the Fire Department, as applicable, such information concerning compliance of the alarm business with its duties under this section as the Director of the Police Department or Director of the Fire Department may request. An alarm business representative and the subscriber shall complete and sign the City of Phoenix Information Form, and the alarm business shall submit the form to the Police Department, or to the Fire Department for fire alarm systems, within ten days of commencement of service for the alarm system.
H. Alarm businesses which do not monitor, maintain, service or install alarms or alarm systems shall not be subject to subsection A, B, C, D, E, or F of this section, but shall be responsible for instructing each person who purchases an alarm or alarm system in the proper use and operation of the alarm, informing each alarm subscriber or alarm purchaser to contact the Phoenix Police Department, or the Phoenix Fire Department for fire alarm systems, for information regarding this Article, advising each alarm subscriber or alarm purchaser of the requirement of an alarm subscriber permit and providing a copy of this Article to each alarm subscriber or alarm purchaser. Such instruction will specifically include all instructions necessary to turn off the alarm and to avoid false alarms. Any alarm business that sells an alarm or an alarm system with monitoring services, or leases, rents, installs, maintains or services an alarm or alarm system shall be subject to subsections A, B, C, D, E, F and G of this section.
I. Any alarm business that monitors, but does not sell, lease, rent, install, service or maintain alarms or alarm systems, shall be subject to subsections E, F and G of this section.
J. Any alarm business that sells or installs alarms or alarm systems without monitoring services, and does not lease, rent, maintain or service alarms or alarm systems, shall be subject to subsections C, D and G of this section.
K. An alarm business which violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (Ord. No. G-1940; Ord. No. G-2476, § 3; Ord. No. G-3344, § 3; Ord. No. G-4003, § 3, 1997; Ord. No. G-4378, § 2, 2001; Ord. No. G-5393, § 1, 2009; Ord. No. G-5444, § 3, 2009; Ord. No. G-5495, §§ 2—5, 2010)