9423-03 Amend Chapter 4 and Chapter 12 to regulate and license the use of Alarm systems

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Ordinance No. _ -\ `t Z3 -~3 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, AMENDING THE SOUTH BEND MUNICIPAL CODE BY CHANGES TO CHAPTER 4, AND CHAPTER 12 TO REGULATE AND LICENSE THE USE OF ALARM SYSTEMS STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT The South Bend Police Department and the South Bend Fire Department respond to alarms installed in private residences and businesses throughout the City of South Bend. These alarms are designed to alert the property owners and securty forces to the existence of an emergency. In the year 2000, there were 9,247 reported false alarms, of which 4,593 were reported for various businesses, and 4,654 were reported for residences. The number of false alarms is increasing to unacceptable levels, with 138,705 hours of down time in 2000, for our public safety personnel. As a result of these false alarms, an increased economic burden falls on the City's Fire and Police Departments. False alarms place our law enforcement officers and fire fighters in increased danger of traffic accidents in rapidly responding to such alarms. The Community Oriented Policing Leadership Council of South Bend has spent countless hours in research, discussion and meetings m developing a new program to address the growing problems posed by false alarms in our community. They have worked closely with the Police and Fire Departments and have been instrumental in furthering the interest of public safety through their recommendations. The South Bend Common Council finds that it is in the best interest of the public health, safety and welfare of the City to require licenses for alarm agents to operate in the City, and to modify standards for maintaining alarm systems. The intent of this ordinance is to regulate the activities of those who own, install, maintain, rent, lease, or monitor alarm systems, devices or services. This ordinance is further intended to improve the reliability of those systems, devices and services, and to help ensure that Police Department and Fire Department personnel will not be unduly diverted from responding to actual criminal activity, firefighting duties and other public service as a result of responding to false alarms. Now, therefore, be it ordained by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows: SECTION I. Chapter 4, Article 3, Section 4-17(d) of the South Bend Municipal Code shall be, and hereby is, amended to read as follows: Sec. 4-17 Businesses requiring a license.