<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="9-609" title_number="9" title_name="Crimes Against Public Administration" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Interference With Government Operations">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section does not apply:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>to alarm systems activated by weather conditions or causes beyond the control of the alarm user;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>in Frederick County if regulations are adopted under § 12–806 of the Local Government Article providing for the registration of alarm system contractors and alarm users, the issuance of civil citations, and penalties for a violation of a regulation;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>in Calvert County if the Board of County Commissioners of Calvert County adopts regulations under § 12–806 of the Local Government Article providing for the registration of alarm system contractors and alarm users, the issuance of civil citations, and penalties for a violation of a regulation; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>in Washington County if the Board of County Commissioners of Washington County adopts regulations under § 12–806 of the Local Government Article providing for the registration of alarm system contractors and alarm users, the issuance of civil citations, and penalties for a violation of a regulation.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>An alarm system that is activated more than once within a 12–hour period when a premises with an alarm system is unoccupied and that is not in response to an actual emergency situation or threatened suggested criminal activity constitutes one false alarm if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>access to the building is provided to the alarm system contractor; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>an alarm system contractor or an employee of an alarm system contractor responds to the activated alarm system.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A law enforcement unit or fire department may issue a civil citation to an alarm user for the negligent or accidental activation of an alarm system as a result of faulty, malfunctioning, or improperly installed or maintained equipment or for a false alarm if the number of activations or false alarms to which the law enforcement unit or fire department responds exceeds:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>three responses within a 30–day period; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>eight responses within a 12–month period.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A civil citation issued under this section shall assess a penalty of $30 for each negligent or accidental activation or false alarm.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
