(A) A board of township trustees that operates a township police department , the board of township trustees of a township police district, or a joint police district board may, after police constables, the township police, a law enforcement agency with which the township contracts for police services, the joint police district police, and the county sheriff or the sheriff's deputy have answered a combined total of three false alarms from the same commercial or residential security alarm system within the township in the same calendar year, cause the township fiscal officer to mail the manager of the commercial establishment or the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant of the residence a bill for each subsequent false alarm from the same alarm system during that year, to defray the costs incurred. The bill's amount shall be as follows:

(1) For the fourth false alarm of that year ..... $50.00;

(2) For the fifth false alarm of that year ..... $100.00;

(3) For all false alarms in that year occurring after the fifth false alarm ..... $150.00.

If payment of the bill is not received within thirty days, the township fiscal officer or joint police district treasurer shall send a notice by certified mail to the manager and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the commercial establishment is a part, or to the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the residence is a part, indicating that failure to pay the bill within thirty days, or to show just cause why the bill should not be paid, will result in the assessment of a lien upon the real estate in the amount of the bill. If payment is not received within those thirty days or if just cause is not shown, the amount of the bill shall be entered upon the tax duplicate, shall be a lien upon the real estate from the date of the entry, and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the township treasury to be earmarked for use for police services.

The board of township trustees shall not cause the township fiscal officer, or the joint police district board shall not cause the joint police district treasurer, to send a bill pursuant to this division if a bill has already been sent pursuant to division (B) of this section for the same false alarm.

(B) The county sheriff may, after the county sheriff or the sheriff's deputy, police constables, the township police, the joint police district police, and a law enforcement agency with which the township contracts for police services have answered a combined total of three false alarms from the same commercial or residential security alarm system within the unincorporated area of the county in the same calendar year, mail the manager of the commercial establishment or the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant of the residence a bill for each subsequent false alarm from the same alarm system during that year, to defray the costs incurred. The bill's amount shall be as follows:

(1) For the fourth false alarm of that year ..... $50.00;

(2) For the fifth false alarm of that year ..... $100.00;

(3) For all false alarms in that year occurring after the fifth false alarm ..... $150.00.

If payment of the bill is not received within thirty days, the sheriff shall send a notice by certified mail to the manager and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the commercial establishment is a part, or to the occupant, lessee, agent, or tenant and to the owner, if different, of the real estate of which the residence is a part, indicating that failure to pay the bill within thirty days, or to show just cause why the bill should not be paid, will result in the assessment of a lien upon the real estate in the amount of the bill. If payment is not received within those thirty days or if just cause is not shown, the amount of the bill shall be entered upon the tax duplicate, shall be a lien upon the real estate from the date of the entry, and shall be collected as other taxes and returned to the county treasury.

The sheriff shall not send a bill pursuant to this division if a bill has already been sent pursuant to division (A) of this section for the same false alarm.

(C) As used in this section, "commercial establishment" has the same meaning as in section 505.391 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 12-18-1997; 03-31-2005; 12-20-2005