600-31 Burglar, Holdup, and Panic Alarms Flashcards
The department shall not impose a penalty for responding to the first ____ false burglar alarm calls or the first false holdup or panic alarm call at a permitted site during a ____ period. The department shall respond to all holdup and panic alarm calls regardless of permit status. Holdup and panic alarms shall never be placed in a “do not respond” status.
1) three
2) 12-month
Alarm Permit.
A certificate issued by the City of Houston’s Administration and Regulatory Affairs (ARA) Department authorizing the operation of a specific alarm system for a 12-month period from the date of issuance.
City ordinances require that all burglar, holdup, and panic alarm systems within the city limits of Houston have a permit to operate and that the permit be kept on premises and available for inspection by a police officer investigating alarm calls. Exceptions to the permit requirement are an alarm system:
a. Installed on a _____.
b. Designed so notification is not given to the police until after the occupants or an agent of the owner or lessee have inspected the alarm site and determined there is _____, and the occupants or their agent is at the scene and able to grant access to the alarm site.
c. Designed solely to _____.
1) motor vehicle
2) physical evidence showing the alarm was the result of criminal activity
3) detect smoke or give notice of fire or smoke
An “_____” is required for an alarm system installed on premises occupied by the United States government or the government of the state of Texas, the City of Houston, or any county. Officers shall not use the Ticket (TIC) alarm clearance code to clear alarm calls to such locations.
exempt permit
State law requires a police response within ____ after an alarm notification in order to classify the alarm as false for assessment of false alarm response fees. This does not preclude issuance of citations to owners or operators of non-permitted alarm systems that are not reached within ____ after alarm notification.
1) 30 minutes
2) 30 minutes
DO NOT RESPOND STATUS AND PENALTIES
Owners or operators of non-permitted burglar, holdup, or panic alarm systems are subject to citations for failing to obtain the _____ and to alarm response fees from the City of Houston beginning with the _____.
1) proper permit
2) first false alarm response
DO NOT RESPOND STATUS AND PENALTIES
Burglar Alarms
A burglar alarm permit holder shall be penalized for a false alarm call only if the Police Department responds to the alarm site within _____ after the alarm notification. A permit holder shall be charged a penalty based on a progressive table for each false burglar alarm call in excess of ____ during the preceding ____ period.
1) 30 minutes
2) three
3) 12-month
DO NOT RESPOND STATUS AND PENALTIES
Burglar Alarms
The alarm permit for a burglar alarm system that has had ____ or more false alarms during the preceding 12-month period shall be revoked and may be placed in a “do not respond” status. Once a burglar alarm system has been placed in a “do not respond” status, a police officer shall not be dispatched to a burglar alarm call from an alarm system at that site.
If the owner/operator of a non-permitted alarm site insists that a patrol unit check their alarm, a Patrol Desk Unit or a dispatch supervisor shall notify the owner/operator of the non-response procedure and cancel the call. Emergency Communications Division shall not dispatch a patrol officer to a non-permitted alarm solely for the reason that their alarm went off without the owner/operator being onsite at the time of the call.
In the event an owner/operator calls the Houston Emergency Center to request an officer to check their non-permitted alarm, they must be at the location to meet the owner. The only exception to the “do not respond” policy is an alarm reported by _____. Any time an alarm is reported by an _____ a police officer shall be dispatched, regardless of the permit status at the alarm site.
1) eight
2) an individual not affiliated with an alarm company
3) individual (not an alarm company representative)
DO NOT RESPOND STATUS AND PENALTIES
Holdup and Panic Alarms
A holdup or panic alarm permit holder shall be penalized for a false alarm call only if the Police Department responds to the alarm site within _____ after the alarm notification. A permit holder shall be charged a penalty based on a progressive table for each false holdup or panic alarm call in excess of one during the preceding _____ period.
Holdup and panic alarm calls shall receive a police response regardless of permit status.
1) 30 minutes
2) 12-month
PROCEDURES
Responding Officers
Officers dispatched to alarm calls shall respond in an expedient manner, consistent with the response priority assigned to the alarm type.
Officers clearing alarm calls with the Exceptional Alarm clearance code shall _____ via the mobile computing device (MCD). An alarm call shall not be cleared until the responding officer has _____.
1) provide an explanation for the clearance code
2) physically checked the alarm location
PROCEDURES
Responding Officers
If an owner or operator of an alarm system is at the scene of a non-permitted alarm system, the responding officer should _____.
Officers should document the proper identification of any person found at the scene of a false alarm in the call for service slip via the MCD. The person’s identifying information shall be recorded along with an _____, which should be provided by the alarm user (e.g., system malfunction, user error, or forgot password.)
1) issue the appropriate citation
2) explanation for the false alarm
PROCEDURES
Responding Officers
If an owner or operator of an alarm system is not at the scene when an officer responds to an alarm call that is determined to be a false alarm, the officer shall place a notice or decal at or on the doorway or principal entry to such site noting the responding officer’s name, unit number, incident number, date, and time. The _____ shall provide patrol divisions with decals for this purpose.
Responding officers shall use resources immediately available to them before contacting AED for assistance.
Burglary and Theft Division, Alarm Enforcement Detail (AED)
PROCEDURES
Patrol Supervisors
Patrol sergeants shall monitor burglar alarm calls for service. It is a patrol supervisor’s discretion to cancel an alarm call at a site that has _____
The ____ may also request a patrol supervisor to examine the history of a location for authorization to cancel an alarm call at a site that has a history of false alarms.
1) demonstrated a history of producing excessive false burglar alarms.
2) dispatcher
PROCEDURES
Emergency Communications Division
As the first step in the police response process, _____ field all police response requests from alarm system businesses to alarm sites. Call takers adhere to City of Houston Code of Ordinances, Chapter 11, Article 111, Section 11-72 (Mandatory Verification of Burglar Alarm) when receiving burglar alarm calls from alarm system businesses.
If an alarm location has been placed in a “do not respond” status and a burglar alarm call to that location is received, the Houston Emergency Center call taker will clear the call as “cancelled.” However, an on-duty officer shall be dispatched to all _____ calls regardless of permit status. Calls for service to holdup or panic alarms shall not be cancelled and a police response shall be assigned promptly.
_____ shall serve as the resource center for alarm-related data and information. They shall provide officers with information on alarm system response status.
1) Houston Emergency Center call takers
2) holdup and panic alarm
3) Dispatch personnel
PROCEDURES
Alarm Enforcement Detail (AED)
The _____ has the primary responsibility of enforcing the local alarm code. AED classified personnel are responsible for investigating complaints of alarm sites not in compliance with the local alarm code. This may require the issuance of citations for violations brought to their attention.
In addition, AED personnel shall assist patrol officers in resolving problems of ____. AED personnel shall also advise patrol officers on the scene of calls for service to burglar, holdup, or panic alarm sites, as needed.
The AED is also the department’s liaison to the City of Houston ARA Department and the _____.
1) Burglary and Theft Division, Alarm Enforcement Detail
2) nuisance alarm sites
3) alarm system industry
