False Alarm Fees per Occurrence
An alarm user shall pay the following fees to the Alarm Administrator for Sheriff response to any false alarm or robbery alarm:
1. General False Alarm Fee: $100.00 for each false alarm;
2. Robbery False Alarm Fee: $150.00 for each false alarm;
8.64.110 False Alarm Fees; Other Fees and Fines.
A. False Alarm Fees. An alarm user shall pay fees to the Alarm Administrator for Sheriff's Department response to any false alarm. If a false alarm fee is not paid within 60 days after the invoice date, a late fee shall also be imposed. (See PCC 8.64.190, Fees and Fine Schedule.)
B. Fees for False Alarms by Unregistered Alarm Systems. A supplemental fee for each false alarm is hereby imposed upon any person operating an unregistered alarm system. This applies only to accounts that have been notified to register. PCC 8.64.130 A.3. provides for suspension of alarm users that have not paid their registration fees. The Alarm Administrator or Sheriff's designee may waive this additional fee for an unregistered system if the alarm user submits an application for alarm registration within 30 business days after receiving notice of such violation. (See PCC 8.64.190, Fees and Fine Schedule.)
C. Cancellations. If cancellation of Sheriff's Department response occurs prior to a deputy arriving at the alarm site, the response is not considered a false alarm for the purpose of fees, or total number of false alarms for the alarm user, and no false alarm fee shall be assessed.
D. The Alarm Administrator may waive a false alarm fee due to a history of false alarms that is identified as chronic equipment failure, provided that work orders were submitted for repairs prior to the false alarm(s).
E. The alarm installation company shall be assessed a fee if the deputy responding to the false alarm determines that an on-site employee of the alarm installation company directly caused the false alarm. Such false alarms are not included in the total number of false alarms for the alarm user, nor is the alarm user held responsible for the false alarm fee. (See PCC 8.64.190, Fees and Fine Schedule.)
F. A fee is hereby imposed against any monitoring company that fails to confirm alarm system signals as required in this Chapter. (See PCC 8.64.190, Fees and Fine Schedule.)
G. Notice of the right of appeal under this Chapter shall be included with notice of any fee or fine.
H. All fees and fines assessed under this Section are due within 60 days of written notice unless otherwise noted. A late fee shall be imposed for each individual fee or fine due that is not paid within 60 days. (See PCC 8.64.190, Fees and Fine Schedule.)
Appeals
1. Alarm Program Systems / CitySupport has a contract with the Sheriff’s Department to provide billing and administrative services, but does not handle appeals. The Sheriff’s Department is responsible for handling appeals and the decisions made about false alarm fees.
2. To appeal a fee, the alarm user needs to notify either Alarm Program Systems at (888) 865-9770 or the Sheriff’s Department Alarm Coordinator at (253) 798-4291 and provide the following: registration/permit number (from the invoice); alarm user name and address; contact phone number; and the reason for appealing the fee.
3. The Sheriff’s Department Alarm Coordinator will be notified of the appeal, and they will review the computer dispatch records of the alarm incident and the account history of the alarm user. The Alarm Coordinator will then contact the alarm user to discuss details of the alarm response or fee, answer questions, provide educational information, and reach a resolution. In most cases, the alarm user will be required to complete an educational online school as part of the resolution.
4. Once a resolution is reached, the Alarm Coordinator will notify Alarm Program Systems and the resolution details will be documented in the alarm user account.