22-AMENDING EMERGENCY ALARM ORDINANCE

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ORDINANCE N0. AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUIVCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS, AMEIVDING ARTICLE II. EMERGENCY ALARM SYSTEMS OF CHAPTER 21 MISCELLANEOUS OFFEIVSES A1VD PROVISIONS, OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS TO ENACT A NEW EMERGENCY ALARM REGISTRATION PROCESS AND NUISANCE ALARM REGULATIONS; AND MAKING OTHER CHANGES RELATED TO THE SAME; PROVIDING A REPEALER CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, A SAVINGS CLAUSE; AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the Emergency Alarm Systems Permitting Process as originally adopted over twenty- five (25) years ago was set up to be administered by the Paris Fire Department, but over time has become more of an issue for the Police Department; and WHEREAS, the Paris Police Department is dispatched to over 2,000 non-fire alarm calls per year, of which ninety-five percent (95%) are false alarms; and WHEREAS, the majority of the false alarm calls are generated by a hand full of businesses that are not properly maintaining their alarm systems; and WHEREAS, a significant amount of police officer patrol time is wasted responding to false alarms and this cost should be redirected to those repeat violators that fail to properly maintain their alarm systems; and WHERAS, the City Council hereby find that it would be in the best interest of the City and its citizens to charge a police department response fee to those businesses or residents that have more than six unexcused false alarms calls per year. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PARIS, TEXAS: Section 1. That the findings set out in the preamble to this ordinance are hereby in all things approved. Section 2. That Chapter 21 Article II. Emergency Alarm Systems of Chapter 21 Miscellaneous Offenses of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Paris, Texas, be, and the same is hereby, amended to read in its entirety as follows: "ARTICLE II. Emergency Alarm Systems Sec.21-26. Definitions. The following words and terms, as used herein, have the meanings respectively ascribed to them, as follows: Alarm System. means a device or series of devices, including, but not limited to, hardwired systems and systems interconnected with a radio frequency method such as cellular or private radio signals, which emit or transmit a remote or local audible, visual or electronic signal indicating an alarm condition and intended to summon law enforcement response, including Local Alarm Systems. Alarm System does not include an alarm installed in a vehicle or on someone's Person unless the � `