[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Lopatcong 10-18-1989 as Ord. No. 1989-20. Section 69-8 amended
at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I.
Other amendments noted where applicable.]
A.Â
Any person who desires to own, operate, lease or maintain
an alarm system in the township shall file a registration permit annually.
The permit shall contain the location of the alarm system, the installer's
name and address, the type of device, information relating to false
alarms and testing procedures, a list of names and addresses and telephone
numbers of persons to be contacted in the event of an alarm and such
other information as may be required by the Lopatcong Township Police
Department.
B.Â
The Lopatcong Township Police Department shall issue
a registration permit for the ownership, operation or maintenance
of an alarm system to any person desiring to own, operate, lease or
maintain an alarm system if the Police Department is satisfied that
the registration information is complete and that the alarm system
is capable of being operated in conformance with this chapter. The
registration permit may be granted subject to any special conditions
stated thereon, if this is deemed necessary by the Police Department.
C.Â
A registration permit shall be valid only for the
calendar year in which it is issued, provided that all required amendments
thereto have been filed. A registration permit shall automatically
terminate upon a change in occupancy for the premises for which the
permit was issued.
D.Â
Any permit granted hereunder shall be accepted upon
the express condition that the registrant shall indemnify and hold
the township harmless from and on account of any and all damages arising
out of the activities of the registrant, its alarm contractor or the
alarm console licensee of the township.
E.Â
A fee of ten dollars ($10.) shall be paid when filing
for a registration permit. The permit application shall be submitted
no later than January 31 of each year or within thirty (30) days of
installation of the system.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The console or control panel of devices giving a visual or
audio response, or both, and located within the confines of the Lopatcong
Township Police Department.
Any device employed to call attention to or provide warning
of intrusion by any person or by fire, smoke, flood or other peril,
whether the same provides a visual or audio response, alarm or warning.
An alarm system which, when actuated, emits a sound which
can be heard beyond the boundaries of the premises on which it is
located.
The type of automatic telephone dialing service using the
telephone system to transmit an alarm of intrusion, fire, smoke, flood
or other peril to the Lopatcong Township Police Department.
An alarm device which has a direct line to an alarm console.
Any alarm or signal of an alarm actuated by the inadvertence,
negligence or intentional or unintentional act of a person other than
an intruder, and including alarms caused by mechanical failure, malfunction
or improper installation of the alarm system and related equipment.
"False alarms" shall not include activations caused by power or phone
line interruptions where such interruptions have been reported to
the Lopatcong Township Police Department.
Any alarm device, other than a direct or dial alarm, which,
when actuated, produces an external emergency signal.
Any individual, person, firm, association, partnership, corporation,
organization or club.
Any person owning, operating, leasing or maintaining an alarm
system within the scope of this chapter who has been issued a registration
permit to operate and maintain such alarm system.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to
any person who owns, operates, leases or maintains any alarm system
situated in the township if the alarm system has an audible signaling
device or a device which requires a response by the Lopatcong Township
Police Department, Fire Department, Emergency Squad or other township
agency. The provisions of this chapter shall in no way prohibit service
by a private source to persons within or without the township so long
as such activity is not in violation of this chapter, and provided,
further, that any person owning, operating, leasing or maintaining
a premises protected by an alarm system shall be responsible for the
registration thereof in accordance with this chapter.
Any connection to the police alarm console shall
be of a type inspected and approved by the Chief of Police or his
designated representative.
All components of an alarm system shall be maintained
in good repair and shall operate in a proper manner. When evidence
exists that there has been failure to comply with the maintenance
and operation requirements of this chapter, the Lopatcong Township
Police Department shall then be authorized to demand that such alarm
system be disconnected until such time as compliance with the provisions
of this chapter has been established. The Police Department shall
have the right to disconnect any malfunctioning equipment from any
alarm system until such time as the malfunction has been corrected
and the alarm system is operating in accordance with the provisions
of this chapter.
All audible signaling devices shall be equipped
with a timing device to limit the sounding of the signaling device
to fifteen (15) minutes or less.
A.Â
In the case of a false alarm or of improper maintenance
or operation of an alarm system, any person having knowledge thereof
shall immediately notify the Lopatcong Township Police Department.
The Police Department shall cause an investigation to be made of all
false alarms and all improper maintenance or operation of alarm systems
and shall keep a record of such false alarms on file. For such alarms,
the following penalties shall prevail:
[Amended 3-20-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-4]
(1)Â
For the first and second false alarm in the same calendar
year, a warning will be issued.
(2)Â
For the third false alarm in the same calendar year,
a penalty of fifty dollars ($50.), plus twenty-five dollars ($25.)
for costs, per false alarm shall be paid to the township.
(3)Â
For the fourth and each subsequent false alarm in
the same calendar year, a penalty of one hundred dollars ($100.),
plus twenty-five dollars ($25.) for costs, per false alarm shall be
paid to the township.
B.Â
Where the investigation of the Lopatcong Township
Police Department discloses a continued disregard by the owner for
taking remedial steps for avoiding false alarms or for continued failure
to maintain or operate an alarm system, the Police Department shall
have the right to require the disconnection of the alarm system for
a limited or permanent time, giving the owner an opportunity to show
cause to the Police Department why such action should not be taken.
A person aggrieved by the decision of the Police Department shall
have the right to appeal said decision to the Township Council within
ten (10) days of the decision.
[Amended 3-20-1991 by Ord. No. 1991-4[1]]
Any person who shall violate any provision of
this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine
not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.) or by imprisonment for
a term not exceeding ninety (90) days or a period of community service
not exceeding ninety (90) days or any combination thereof. A separate
offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a
violation occurs or continues.
