[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Maywood 4-8-1986
as Ord. No. 4-86; amended in its entirety 6-28-1994
by Ord. No. 11-94 Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standard regulations for various
types of intrusion, burglar, fire and other emergency alarm equipment whether
by direct line, radio, telephone or other means.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who operates,
maintains or owns any alarm system located within the Borough of Maywood.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Equipment or a device or any assembly of equipment and devices designated
to signal the presence of an emergency or hazard to which the Police Department,
Fire Department, ambulance or other municipal agencies may be expected to
respond. In this chapter, the term "alarm system" shall include, but shall
not necessarily be limited to, the terms local alarms, digital transmitter
alarms, direct wire alarms and automatic dialer alarms.
The First Aid and Emergency Squad of the Borough of Maywood.
Any type of alarm device that automatically dials a telephone number
and transmits a prerecorded telephone message providing warning of intrusion
or other peril.
The Borough Clerk of the Borough of Maywood.
The Chief of Police of the Borough of Maywood or his designated representative.
Any alarm that transmits a code number electronically via a telephone
line to a central alarm station providing warning of intrusion or other peril.
Any alarm that transmits a signal via a direct lease telephone line
to a central alarm station providing warning of intrusion or other peril.
Any alarm or signal of an alarm system actuated by inadvertence,
negligence or any intentional or unintentional act of a person other than
an intruder or the use of the alarm system for other than its intended purpose,
including any alarm or signal caused by mechanical failure, malfunctioning
or improper installation of the alarm system.
The Fire Department of the Borough of Maywood.
The person holding a license to operate and maintain an alarm console
pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
Any alarm system which, when activated, produces a visual and/or
audio signal visible or audible to persons in the proximity of the alarm system,
such as store burglar alarms actuating bell devices, providing warning of
intrusion or other peril. The "local alarm" shall not include an alarm device
on a motor vehicle, provided that said motor vehicle alarm is not interconnected
with an alarm system. The term "local alarm" shall also not include equipment
designed to signal solely within the building or series of buildings if owned
by the same person on which it is located and which is not designed to emit
signals visible or audible to persons outside such buildings or building.
Any person who owns an alarm device who has obtained a permit according
to the provisions of this chapter.
Any natural person or individual or any firm, partnership, association,
limited partnership, sole proprietorship or corporation or any business entity.
The Borough of Maywood Police Department.
Notice made by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by personal
service upon the addressee.
A.
No person shall install, operate or maintain any alarm
system unless the system has been registered and approved by the Chief of
Police.
B.
The alarm system shall be deemed registered at such time
as the permit is issued.
C.
The Mayor and Council may establish by ordinance a registration
fee for all permits required hereunder.
D.
All permittees will be required to register their alarm
systems with the Chief of Police on a form that shall include, among other
data:
(1)
The name, type and location of the alarm system device.
(2)
The name, address and twenty-four-hour telephone number
of the alarm installer or person responsible for its maintenance.
(3)
The name, address and telephone number of three persons,
other than the permittee, to be contacted in the event of an alarm.
(4)
The person responsible to remit any fees or fines assessed
under this ordinance.
(5)
All other information as may be required by the Chief
of Police.
E.
No further renewed registration will be required unless
there is any material change in the information previously submitted with
respect to any alarm system. It shall be the duty of the occupant of a building
served by an alarm system, within 10 days of any change in the registration
information, to notify the Chief of Police by completing a new registration
form. Failure to comply with these provisions will be deemed a violation of
this chapter and subject the violator to the penalties as hereinafter described.
F.
Except as provided hereunder, or as otherwise permitted
by the Mayor and Council, no person shall be permitted to have any direct
leased telephone line with the Police Department headquarters for an alarm
system.
A.
If three false alarms occur in a calendar year (January
1 to December 31), the permittee shall, within three working days after written
notice to do so, complete a written notice to the Chief of Police setting
forth the cause of the false alarms, if known, the corrective action taken,
whether the alarm system has been inspected by an alarm service company and
such other information as the Chief of Police may reasonably require.
B.
The Chief of Police shall serve a written notice upon the permittee after the third occurrence of a false alarm in a calendar year. If any other false alarms occur in the calendar year, a service fee shall be assessed against the alarm user as set forth in Chapter 169, Fees. Service fees shall be payable to the Borough of Maywood within 30 days of receipt of written notice of the fourth or subsequent false alarm.
Any person testing an alarm system covered by the provisions of this
chapter shall notify police headquarters and his alarm company immediately
prior to and after the testing is completed. Failure to do so shall be subject
to the charges provided for false alarms.
A.
Every permittee shall, by acceptance of the permit, be
deemed as having consented to inspection of the premises on which said alarm
system is located at reasonable hours by the Chief of Police or his designated
representative.
B.
Any unauthorized equipment may be disconnected by the
Chief of Police or his designated representative for noncompliance with this
chapter. Any person maintaining or installing unauthorized equipment shall
be prosecuted for violation of this chapter.
C.
The Chief of Police may revoke any license or permit
10 days after written notice has been served upon the alarm owner for failure
to make the proper repairs or comply with this chapter after previous written
notice has been served by the Chief of Police requesting said repairs or compliance
for a violation. If, within the ten-day period, the alarm owner furnishes
sufficient proof as may be required by the Chief of Police that the alarm
system has been repaired and the violation(s) corrected, the Chief of Police
may rescind the revocation order.
D.
It shall be unlawful for any local alarm to ring or put forth any other sound for a period of longer than 20 minutes. In addition to the penalty for violating this provision, any violation of this requirement shall constitute a false alarm and be subject to the service charges specified in § 106-5.
E.
All persons owning an audible intrusion, panic or fire
alarm that is not monitored by an alarm company shall locate the audible device
on the outside of the structure in plain view. If used for a fire alarm, the
device shall be red in color and shall be labeled "Fire Alarm." All other
audible devices shall be any other color with the exception of red.
F.
Cancellations of all alarms must be made through the
subscriber's alarm company. The Police Department will not accept any
cancellations of alarms once they have been reported by an alarm company.
G.
No persons shall transmit or suffer or permit the transmission
of a prerecorded message or any other form of telephone communication not
involving direct person-to-person contact to the Police Department.
H.
All automatic dialer or digital transmitter alarm devices
shall be maintained by the owner in good repair, and, when evidence exists
that there has been a failure to comply with the operational requirements
of this chapter, the Chief of Police or his agent is then authorized to demand
that such devices be disconnected until such time as compliance with the requirements
is reestablished.
In addition to the general requirements specified in this chapter, automatic
dialer alarms and direct digital transmitter alarms located in the Borough
of Maywood shall be subject to the following requirements:
A.
Automatic dialer alarms and digital transmitter alarms
shall be coded to dial a central alarm station or other monitor other than
the Maywood Police Department.
B.
Any alarms received by the Maywood Police Department
from an automatic dialer alarm or digital transmitter alarm shall be subject
to the charges provided for false alarms.
Any person found guilty of a violation of this chapter shall be subject to a fine of not less than $20 and not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both, exclusive of any other fees which may have been imposed under § 106-5. The fees imposed by § 106-5 shall be payable in addition to any fine imposed under this section.
