Burglar Alarms

Deerfield Village Ordinance Number 7-77

Every alarm user shall obtain an Alarm User Permit for each alarm system within the Village. Alarm Permits are obtained from the Police Department and are approved by the Village Manager.

There is a $25 permit fee.

Any alarm system user who operates an alarm system without first obtaining a permit, or who, after having a permit revoked or suspended, fails to disconnect the alarm, shall be in violation.

Residential Alarm Permit Application

Business Alarm Permit Application

Penalties

Failure to obtain an Alarm System User Permit or disconnect a revoked or suspended alarm may result in a fine from $5 to $500. (Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.)

False Alarms

False Alarms are costly to alarm users. Fines for false alarms in a calendar year are:

1-3 False alarms: $25 per alarm
4-6 False alarms: $50 per alarm
7-9 False alarms: $75 per alarm
10 or more false alarms: $100 per alarm

New Residents

If you have recently moved into a residence in Deerfield and the home was previously wired for an alarm system, please ensure that the system is inactive. It is not uncommon for a new resident to be met at the front door by a police officer responding to an alarm that was thought to be disconnected. Applications for alarm permits are available at the Police Station. If you are installing a new alarm, please contact the Police Department for an Alarm Permit Application. The alarm company must also be registered by the State of Illinois.

Alarm Instructions

Alarm companies must furnish homeowners with instructions that provide adequate information to operate and maintain the alarm system.

Suggestion: Review these instructions with each member of your family and all keyholders. Remember, once a call is received by the Police Dispatcher of an activated alarm, we are required to respond.

Keyholders

The alarm user must identify a keyholder who can respond to the alarm and open the premises. Corporate alarms require the listing of two keyholders.

Suggestion: Often keyholders are not available and the alarm does not reset. If the alarm is malfunctioning and reactivates, we must again respond to the alarm; each response is billed. Having a keyholder available to reset the alarm is one way of eliminating expensive false alarms.

Alternate Power Source

You must provide an alternate source of power in order to prevent a false alarm due to the loss of electrical power supplied by a utility company.

Suggestion: Typically, your alternate power source is battery power. Periodically check the battery and cables leading to your system.

Waiver of Fees

Finally, the Police Department and the Village frequently receive requests to waive false alarm fees. By ordinance, only false alarms caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquake or other catastrophic events, are subject to appeal. Alarms activated by electrical storms, thunder, hail, or sudden changes in temperature do not meet the standards for waiver of false alarm fees. Alarms activated by accidental but legal entry to the property, i.e. children returning home, guests, neighbors looking after the home while you are on vacation and delivery men do not meet the standard for waiver.