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CHAPTER 12 Title 5 Burglar AlarmsPage 1 of 4 REVISED 11.20.2025 CHAPTER 12 BURGLAR/ROBBERY ALARMS SECTION: 5-12-1: Purpose 5-12-2: Definitions 5-12-3: Alarm Users Permits Required 5-12-4: REPEALED 5-12-5: False Alarms and Permit Revocation 5-12-6: Confidentiality and Statistics 5-12-7: Notification 5-12-8: Fees 5-12-9: Violations and Penalties 5-12-1: PURPOSE: The purposes of this Ordinance are: (a) To govern alarm systems, require permits, establish fees, provide penalties for violations, and provide a system of administration; (b) To regulate and minimize the number of false alarms occurring within the City; (c) To protect citizens against the increased cost of enforcement and misuse of emergency services; and (d) To protect and promote the public health, peace, safety, welfare and tranquility of the inhabitants of the City of Ammon, Bonneville County, Idaho. 5-12-2: DEFINITIONS: Certain words and phrases used in this Ordinance are defined as follows: Alarm Business: The business by an individual, partnership, corporation, or other entity of selling, leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing any alarm system or causing to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced, moved or installed any alarm system in or on any building, structure or facility. Alarm System: Any assembly of equipment, mechanical or electrical, arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond. Alarm User: The person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind in control of any building, structure or facility wherein an alarm system is maintained. Audible Alarm: Any device designed for the detection of an unauthorized entry on the premises, and which, when activated, generates an audible sound on the premises. Automatic Dialing Device: A device which is interconnected to a telephone line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number and transmit by voice message or code signal an emergency message indicating a need for emergency response. False Alarm: An alarm signal, eliciting a response by a law enforcement officer when a situation requiring a response by a law enforcement officer does not in fact exist, but does not include an alarm signal caused by violent conditions or nature or other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to control by the alarm business operator or alarm user. Page 2 of 4 REVISED 11.20.2025 Interconnect: To connect an alarm system including an automatic dialing device to a telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes a telephone, for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit a message upon the activation of the alarm system. Law Enforcement Agency: The responding law enforcement agency that enforces the laws adopted by the City of Ammon. Primary Trunk Line: A telephone line serving the Public Safety Communications that is designated to receive emergency calls. Public Safety Communications: The City/County facility used to receive emergency and general information from the public to be dispatched to the respective police departments utilizing communications. 5-12-3: ALARM USERS PERMITS REQUIRED: (A) It shall be unlawful for any business to install or maintain any audible alarm system without registering the system as part of their business license. (B) All commercial businesses located within the City of Ammon shall be required to indicate on their business license application and/or renewal if an alarm system is to be used. Should an alarm system be indicated on said application, the business shall be required to pay an additional fee for the alarm. Commercial alarm user permits shall expire on the same date as the business license issued to the business. (C) An additional fee shall be charged in addition to the fee provided in Section 5-12-3 (A) to a user who fails to provide accurate information related to the use of an alarm on their business license application. (D) Every person maintaining an alarm system shall make readily visible, either on or immediately adjacent to the exterior of the device emitting the alarm, the name and telephone number of the responsible party to be notified in order to render repairs and service and secure the premises during any hour of the day or night that the alarm system is activated. (E) Every audible alarm system shall have a timing device which automatically shuts off the alarm within thirty (30) minutes after it has been activated. (F) It shall be unlawful for an alarm user or their representative to fail to respond to the alarm location within sixty (60) minutes after being requested to do so by a representative of the responding law enforcement agency. Such person responding to the alarm location shall take whatever action necessary to secure the property from further intrusion, or take whatever action is necessary to render service to the alarm or to provide response by another person who is able to render the necessary action after the responding law enforcement agency has rendered the area safe from possible entry by an intruder. Unless specifically requested, the law enforcement agency responding shall be under no obligation to remain at the location of the alarm for a period in excess of fifteen (15) minutes while waiting for the responding party to arrive unless illegal entry has occurred. Page 3 of 4 REVISED 11.20.2025 5-12-4: REPEALED 5-12-5: FALSE ALARMS AND PERMIT REVOCATION: (A) An alarm user whose alarm has elicited four (4) responses within one (1) calendar year of the initial violation, which were subsequently shown to be false, will be assessed a service fee for each additional false alarm that occurs within that period of time. (B) If four (4) false alarms within one (1) calendar year of the last violation are received from an alarm system: 1. The City shall notify the alarm user by certified mail of such fact. 2. The City will advise the alarm user that any additional false alarms within the calendar year will result in the assessment of a service fee for each additional false alarm that has been responded to. 3. Such notice shall also state that if the assessment is not paid within sixty (60) days, the assessment will be sent to a collection agency. (C) A fifteen (15) day grace period will be extended to all alarm users after the initial installation of an alarm system. The official recording of false alarms will not commence until after the expiration of the fifteen (15) day grace period. 5-12-6: CONFIDENTIALITY AND STATISTICS: (A) All information submitted in compliance with this ordinance shall be held in the strictest confidence and shall be deemed a public record exempt from disclosure pursuant to state statute; and any violation of confidentiality shall be deemed a violation of this ordinance. The City shall be charged with the sole responsibility for the maintenance of all records of any kind whatsoever under this ordinance. 5-12-7: NOTIFICATION: (A) The City shall provide access to the law enforcement agency providing emergency response. Copies shall be sent via mail or email as requested by the responding agency. 5-12-8: FEES: (A) All fees associated with this Chapter, shall be determined by a schedule of fees adopted by the City Council by resolution which may be amended from time to time. (B) Offices or businesses operated by the State of Idaho or the Federal Government shall be exempt from the Burglar Alarm fee. These offices or businesses shall continue to be licensed and provide all information required of a burglar alarm license to the City Clerk. 5-12-9: VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES: Page 4 of 4 REVISED 11.20.2025 (A) Any violation of this section shall be deemed an infraction. Any violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to penalties prescribed for such violations under section 1-4-2 of this code and Idaho Code 18-113A. Each day such violation continues, shall be a separate violation.