City of Milwaukee - File #: 040606

• File #: 040606
• Version: 0
• Type: Ordinance
• Status: Placed On File
• File created: 9/1/2004
• In control: PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
• Final action: 9/25/2007
• Title: An ordinance relating to charges for false alarms transmitted to the police and fire departments by private alarm systems.
• Sponsors: ALD. ZIELINSKI, ALD. PUENTE, ALD. BAUMAN, ALD. BOHL, ALD. WADE, ALD. MCGEE JR., ALD. HAMILTON
• Indexes: ALARM SYSTEMS, LICENSES, NUISANCES, POLICE DEPARTMENT

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
9/25/2007	0	COMMON COUNCIL	PLACED ON FILE	Pass	14:0
9/13/2007	0	PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE	RECOMMENDED FOR PLACING ON FILE	Pass	5:0
9/9/2004	0	PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE	HELD TO CALL OF THE CHAIR; Minutes note: Speakers: Deputy Inspector Joe Whiten - Milwaukee Police Department Scarlet Love - owner of Ponderosa Steak House and some of the Love's Liquors in Milwaukee John - lives on the north side of Milwaukee near Lincoln Park Chris Utter - Alarm Industry South John Schuster - Securitas Timeshare Services	Pass	3:2
9/3/2004	0	PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE	HEARING NOTICES SENT
9/2/2004	0	PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE	HEARING NOTICES SENT
9/1/2004	0	COMMON COUNCIL	ASSIGNED TO

Number
040606
Version
ORIGINAL
Reference

Sponsor
ALD. ZIELINSKI, PUENTE, BAUMAN, BOHL, WADE, McGEE AND HAMILTON
Title
An ordinance relating to charges for false alarms transmitted to the police and fire departments by private alarm systems.
Sections
105-75-9-d-5 rn
105-75-9-d-5 cr
105-75-14-a am
105-75-15 rc
105-75-16 cr
Analysis
Currently, the code provides a penalty for a private alarm system user who causes or permits the police or fire department to be notified of a false alarm. If either the police or fire department is notified of 2 false alarms within a calendar year, the alarm user shall be subject to a forfeiture of $50 for each false alarm received thereafter.

Under this ordinance, the false alarm penalty is eliminated and replaced by an “administrative charge” for false alarms. The amount of the administrative charge for the first false alarm in a calendar year is equal to the police or fire department's cost of responding to a false alarm plus a reasonable amount for administration costs (e.g., the cost of billing). For a second or subsequent false alarm in a calendar year, the amount of the administrative charge is the department's cost of responding to the alarm plus the administration costs plus $100. The alarm business that has a contract with the alarm user for monitoring the alarm user's alarm system, rather than the alarm user himself or herself, is billed for the false alarm administrative charge. If payment is not made within 30 days, the alarm business will be considered delinquent. Failure to pay the administrative charge, or to pay it within the 30-day period, shall be grounds for non-renewal or revocation of the alarm business license.

All revenue derived from the false alarm administrative charge shall be entered in the revenue account of one of 2 special revenue funds, one for the police department known as the “police department false alarm fund” and the other for the fire department known as the...