Loading...
False Alarm Billing, Collection, Charge Off Procedures (GA-33)C IT Y O F DELRA Y BEA C H A DM IN ISTRA TIV E PO LIC IES AND PRO C EDURES DEPARTMENT:Neighborhood and Community Services POLICY NUMBER:GA 33 SUBJECT:False Alarm Billing,Collection,SUPERSEDES: and Charge-Off Procedures N/A REVISION: APPROVED BY: PURPOSE EFFECTIVE DATE:/o'77a1/ Terrence R.Moore,ICMA-CM,City Manager The purpose of this policy is to define,standardize,and set forth responsibilities for False Alarm billing and collection procedures,appeals,disputes,delinquent accounts,and charge-offs,in accordance with the City's Code of Ordinances. PROCEDURE An invoice for false alarm fees owed to the City shall be sent to the registered holder of the alarm system.False alarms in a multi-unit property or neighborhood subdivision that has an internal fire and/or burglar alarm system maintained and monitored by a private security company,will be counted towards the false alarm total of the entire property, regardless of which unit the alarm came from. Fee Structure: A Person required to obtain a valid alarm registration,and who does not have such a registration shall be issued a notice of violation.That person shall have ten (10)days from the date of the notice of violation to make application for an alarm registration. Persons not making application within ten (10)days shall incur a late charge of one hundred dollars ($100.00)or appearance before the Code Enforcement Board. (Code Section 112.21 (A)(2) Alarm systems registered at the time of installation or prior to emitting one false alarm shall be registered at no cost.A Registration Fee of $25.00 shall be charged to the alarm user after notification and receipt of notice of violation due to the emission of one false alarm {Code Section 112.20 ((8}(2} Registration Holders shall notify the Police Department/Communications Center within (10)days of any changes in the information set forth on an Alarm registration/application.Failure to comply shall constitute a violation and shall result False Alarm Billing,Collection and Charge-Off Procedures GA33 Page 2 of 3 in a late charge of one hundred dollars ($100.00) (Code Section 112.20 (c) Failure to verify alarm activations by Alarm Company before requesting a dispatch = assessment of a civil penalty for each occurrence of $500.00 {Code Section 112.26 (A) Failure of the person notified by the enforcement official to appear at said premises within thirty (30)minutes after being notified to do so =$100.00 {Code Section 112.26 (C) First 3 False Alarms=No Fee {Code Section 112.27 (B) Each False Alarm over 3 per calendar year fourth =50.00,fifth=$100.00 sixth and beyond false/nuisance alarms =$200.00 {Code Section 112.27 (B) Fee assessed and remaining unpaid in excess of 120 days from the date the charge is billed=collection fee in the amount of eight percent (8%)of the outstanding balance. The alarm holder/user shall also be responsible for any legal fees or costs incurred by the City of Delray Beach in enforcement of the false alarm ordinance. {Code Section 112.27 (D) CryWolf is a system that is utilized in the City of Delray Beach to track and capture registrations, renewals,and false alarms throughout the City Billing Process (Financials are tracked through our Crywolf database) 1.Applications for an alarm registration is required by a person or business having control over property on which the alarm system is to be operated.New alarm systems are registered for $25.00.If the application for alarm registration is not made within 10 days of the notice of violation (see Alarm Activation Notice)the person in violation of the City of Delray Beach Ordinance Section (112.21 (A)(2)and result in a late charge of $100.00. 2.Each year by May 1'renewal invoices can be issued in order to ensure all information is correct.A fee of $30.00 thirty dollars is required.The name,address,telephone number of the account holder/business information is to be current and accurate.The Alarm Coordinator should be notified of any changes and each year provide a new application. Failure to renew alarm registration shall result in a late penalty fee of $100.00 and if the renewal is not brought current within 60 days,there shall be a limited response by the City of Delray Beach. 3.On a daily basis,the Crywolf software generates a False alarm listing that is located onthe Crywolf screen under the "Process Alarm Data"tab.The False Alarm Processing screen is used for processing all false alarm calls that are be extracted from the CAD file.This screen is able to create accounts due to alarm dispatch,ignore alarm calls,charge alarm calls, process special fee/fines for certain dispatch codes,and much more.All the information pertaining to the alarm call will be listed.The case number,dispatch time,clearance time, False Alarm Billing,Collection and Charge-Off Procedures GA33 Page 3 of 3 and other information with dispatch will be in the top part of this list.All these fields will be loaded from the CAD file or manually entered in the system.Notifications and Billing correspondence of these occurrences and fees owed are generated through the Crywolf system. First 3 False Alarms Occurrences in a calendar year-No charge Fourth -$50.00 Fifth -$100.00 Sixth,Seventh,Eighth,Nineth and Tenth -$200.00 APPEAL OF RESPONSE FEE AND APPEAL OF LIMITED RESPONST STATUS (112.29) A.An alarm user may appeal assessment of the response fee to the Alarm Coordinator by filing a written request for review setting forth the reasons for the appeal within thirty (30) calendar days of the incident of alarm.The filing of a request for an appeal stays the assessment of the response fees until the Director of Community Improvement or his/her designee makes a final decision. B.The-Alarm Coordinator shall conduct a review and consider evidence presented by the alarm user.The Alarm Coordinator shall make a recommendation to the Director of Community Improvement on the basis of evidence presented.The Director of Community Improvement must render a final decision within forty-five (45)calendar days after the request for an appeal is filed. c.An alarm user placed on limited response may appeal the limited response status by filing a written request setting forth the reasons for the appeal within fourteen (14)calendar days of receipt of notification.The City's Hearing Official shall conduct a hearing and consider the evidence presented.The decision of the Hearing Officer is final.If an alarm user is found in violation of city code,a fine amount may be imposed not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00)per day for the first violation and not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00)per day for a repeat violation.Should an appeal be heard by the Hearing Officer,pursuant to Section 162.09,Florida Statutes,and the required corrective action is not taken,a lien may be imposed on the property where the violation exists and upon any real or personal property owned by the violator. ENFORCEMENT THROUGH CIVIL CITATION SYSTEM 112.51 The enforcement official may issue a civil citation to obtain compliance with this Chapter and payment of service charges or fees assessed by the City pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.A lien may be filed for all unpaid fees,citations,or renewal/registration charges under this Chapter.