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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006-02-15 STAFF REPORTS 3B 4�pPLM SA4 iy c u a CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT DATE: February 15, 2006 LEGISLATIVE SUBJECT: PROPOSED ORDINANCE MODIFYING REGULATIONS FOR THE USE OF ALARMS AND ALARM SYSTEMS FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager BY: Police Department and Fire Department SUMMARY This ordinance allows the Chief of Police or Fire Chief to suspend the imposition of the civil penalty for a second false alarm occurring in any 365 day period pursuant to specified grounds, if the person liable for such assessment successfully completes an approved Alarm Diversion Program. RECOMMENDATION: 1. Waive the reading of the ordinance text in its entirety and read by title only. 2. Introduce on first reading Ordinance No. "AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ADDING SUBSECTION (6.1) TO SECTION 5.02.010 OF AND SUBSECTION (g) TO SECTION 5.02.075 OF THE PALM SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO SUSPENSION OF THE CIVIL PENALTY ASSESSED ON A SECOND FALSE ALARM OCCURING IN A 365 DAY PERIOD. STAFF ANALYSIS: The response to false alarms consumes a tremendous amount of a public safety officer's time that could be used in providing other services to the community. Recently City Council amended the alarm Ordinance in efforts to reduce false alarms. I This proposed modification allows the Police and/or Fire Chief to suspend the civil fine on the second false alarm occurring in any 365 day period if the person liable for the assessment successfully completes an Alarm Diversion Program. The intent behind an Alarm Diversion Program is to educate and train our community in the proper I installation, maintenance and operation of alarms. It is believed that as our community becomes more aware of the operation of their alarm systems and the impacts false ' alarms have on public safety, false alarms will be reduced. ITEM t40. Alarm System Ordinance February 15, 2006 Page 2 The Alarm Diversion Program will be online via the internet; similar to online traffic schools in which motorists issued traffic citations have an opportunity to take a comprehensive traffic school via the web in lieu of a court traffic fine. The police department has worked with an internet provider who is interested in making available to the public an "alarm school' very similar to internet "traffic school'. For a nominal fee a person liable for a civil fine can at their option complete an internet "alarm school'. The internet provider would notify the police department that program was successfully completed and the civil fine would be waived. Upon adoption of the Ordinance, the police department would send information about the Alarm Diversion Program as part of the civil fine notification. The notification would recommend approved web site alarm schools to each alarm violator. The responsibility and option of paying the civil fine or completing the school will be left to the violator. The internet Alarm School will be periodically monitored by the Services Captain or his designee to ensure the information is updated and relevant to reducing false alarms. The Alarm Diversion Program could expand at a later time to include actual classroom instruction or seminars. FISCAL IMPACT: IFinance Director Review: In 2004 (calendar year) the police department collected $168,464.01 in false alarm fees. It is estimated that with the implementation of these modifications to the Alarm Ordinance the annual false alarm fees will decrease due to fewer civil fines collected as alarm violators take the Alarm Diversion Program option. The intention of the Alarm Ordinance has been, and remains, to reduce false alarm responses by public safety; this has never been intended to raise money for the general fund. This modification will also help improve public relations in our community demonstrating that the City wants to help the community avoid civil fines by becoming more educated and trained in operation of their alarm systems. The time that is saved by not responding to false alarms will allow the public safety additional time to respond to other calls and will reduce the police and fire department "overall" response time to calls for service. _ ,1 I - Gary J� dTo , Chief of Po1'ice Blake Goetz, Chief Fire Department David H. Ready, City M"4 Attachments: Proposed Ordinance ORDINANCE NO. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, ADDING SUBSECTION (6.1) TO SECTION 5.02.010 OF, AND SUBSECTION (g) TO SECTION 5.02.075 OF, THE PALM SPRINGS MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO SUSPENSION OF THE CIVIL PENALTY ASSESSED ON A SECOND FALSE ALARM OCCURING IN A 365 DAY PERIOD. CityAttorney's Summary The current provisions of the City's Municipal Code allow the City to assess a civil penalty for false fire, burglary, and robbery alarms on the second or any subsequent alarms occurring in any 365 day period. (There is no charge for the first false alarm.) This Ordinance allows the Chief of Police or the Fire Chief to suspend the imposition of the civil penalty for a second false alarm occurring in any 365 day period on specified grounds. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Subsection (6.1) is added to Section 5.02.010 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code to read: (6.1) "Diversion Program" means any seminar, training, class, or course, approved by the Chief of Police or the Fire Chief, designed to educate and train persons in the proper installation, maintenance, and operation of alarms. SECTION 2. Subsection (g) is added to Section 5.02.075 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code to read: (g) The Chief of Police or the Fire Chief may suspend a fee required to be assessed for a second false alarm occurring with any 365 day period pursuant to the provisions of subsection (a) or (b) of this Section, if the person liable for such assessment successfully completes a Diversion Program. SECTION 3. The Mayor shall sign and the City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this Ordinance and shall cause the same, or the Ordinance No. Page 2 summary thereof, to be published and posted pursuant to the provisions of law and this Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after passage. PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this day of 2006. RONALD ODEN, MAYOR ATTEST: James Thompson, City Clerk CERTIFICATION: STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS ) I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, California, do hereby certify that Ordinance No. is a full, true, and correct copy, and was introduced at a regular meeting of the Palm Springs City Council on and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: James Thompson, City Clerk City of Palm Springs, California I I