§ 9-223. Alarm business responsibilities.

(a)

An alarm business that installs, causes to be installed, permits to be installed, alters, maintains, repairs, replaces, services, or monitors any alarm system must ensure that an alarm user has obtained a permit for the alarm system before the alarm system is activated or placed into service.

(b)

The alarm business must provide a certification to the alarm user that the system has been installed or currently meets the alarm system requirements of Division 2, Subdivisions 1 and 2 of this Subtitle. This certification, which must be submitted with the permit application, must also state that the person designated by the alarm user as responsible for alarm system operation has received training sufficient to prepare the alarm user to operate the system without false alarms caused by improper operation and that the alarm user has been informed that they must obtain a permit from the Chief of Police before police dispatch may be requested by an alarm monitoring business.

(c)

An alarm business that sells at retail any alarm system or equipment to an alarm user must provide the purchaser the proper alarm user permit information, including, but not limited to, a summary of the alarm user law, the application form and fee information, and the requirement that a certification from a licensed burglar and holdup alarm contractor must accompany the permit application.

(d)

Procedures to request police response.

(1)

Before requesting a police response to an alarm signal, an alarm business must attempt to verify every alarm signal, except a duress alarm activation, by a telephone call to the alarm user or other person(s) designated by the alarm user.

(2)

An alarm business must not request a police response to an alarm signal until the alarm system has been properly licensed.

(3)

An alarm business must provide the following information when contacting the Police Emergency Communications Center (ECC), to report an activated alarm signal and to request a police response:

(A)

Name of the alarm business reporting the activated alarm, name or employee number of the alarm business employee making the report, and a toll-free call-back telephone number;

(B)

Registration number issued to the alarm user;

(C)

Location of the activated alarm, including complete business or homeowner's name, street address, and telephone number;

(D)

Type of alarm (such as audible or silent, robbery, hold-up, duress, panic, burglary). If the alarm system is zoned, give the specific location of the alarm activation (such as interior, perimeter, vault, motion detection);

(E)

Any available information about the nonresidential site (such as if the business is open or closed, guards on site, guard dogs, dangerous or special conditions within the location);

(F)

Any available information about the residential site (such as if the homeowner is present or out of town, presence of pets, handicapped individuals, etc.);

(G)

If a representative of the alarm user or alarm monitoring company is responding and their estimated time of arrival.

(4)

An alarm monitoring business shall not request a police response to an alarm signal if the alarm business has been notified by the Chief that the alarm user has an unpaid alarm response fee due and has not appealed the false alarm, or if the alarm user has been notified that the alarm system does not conform to the installation standards under this Subtitle.

(5)

An alarm monitoring business must cancel any request for police response immediately when the alarm business determines that the alarm signal is a false alarm.

(e)

An alarm monitoring business must notify the alarm user or his designee in writing within seventy-two (72) hours after the alarm business requests police response to a signal from the user's alarm system.

(f)

The alarm monitoring business must keep a record of the date and time for each alarm signal which required a police response and the date, time, and method by which the registered alarm user or designee was notified. Such records must be retained for at least one (1) year and must be made available for inspection within five (5) days, upon request by the Chief or a representative designated to inspect such records.

(CB-102-1995; CB-66-2003)