[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Little Falls as indicated in article histories.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-8-2008 by Ord. No. 1054]
The Township Council of the Township of Little
Falls finds that the existence within the Township of external audible
alarm systems which do not contain automatic shutoff systems permits
the continuing emission of loud alarm signals without termination
and that, in the event of the unavailability of those able to control
and terminate the alarm, persons in the vicinity are exposed to these
loud noises for lengthy and indefinite periods without means of obtaining
relief; that this condition is inimical to the public health and welfare
and to the well-being of persons within the Township; and that lengthy
emission of alarm signals is not necessary to the legitimate purposes
of the property owner or occupant. The Township Council further finds
that many residents and commercial entities have installed burglar,
fire and other warning devices within their residence or buildings,
and that false alarms from said devices requiring a response cause
unnecessary expense and the unproductive diversion of personnel and
equipment from their public safety function within the Township.
The purpose of this article is to establish
regulations concerning the operation and maintenance of certain alarm
systems within the Township of Little Falls and to provide penalties
for violations of any of the provisions set forth herein.
For purposes of this article, the following
definitions shall apply:
Any mechanical or electric signal reporting by means of telephone
cables or other means of transmission, which signals are reported
to the Little Falls Police Division for investigation and/or action,
or an audible alarm which is heard and/or called in by another and
which signals, upon receipt or upon activation, indicate to the Police
Department that any emergency exists at the sending location.
Any report or request for service directed to the Little
Falls Police Division by any means of any communication wherein the
situation, condition, incident or emergency as subject of the report
or request did not and does not exist.
An individual, partnership, association, syndicate, company,
firm, trust, corporation, department, bureau, agency, and/or other
entity recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties.
The Township of Little Falls Police Division.
The Little Falls Police Division shall have
the power and duty to enforce the provisions of this article. All
violations of this article shall be issued by a representative of
the Little Falls Police Division, from the Township Citizen Complaint
Book, and shall have a mandatory court appearance date. Furthermore,
all complaints under this article shall be issued to either the owner
or lessee in possession of any commercial or private premises, or
both, in the discretion of the Little Falls Police Division.
It shall be unlawful for any person, persons,
corporation, owner or lessee of any building in which an alarm has
been installed to:
A.
Cause, suffer, allow or permit the accidental or purposeful
transmission or audible sounding of a false alarm signal for any public
or private place in the Township.
B.
Cause, suffer, allow or permit to be made any report
or request for police assistance by means of communication where the
situation, condition, incident, or emergency as subject of the report
or request for police assistance did not and does not exist.
A.
Penalties for false alarms transmitted from a multifamily
residential complex, business, commercial, charitable and/or industrial
premises shall be as follows:
[Amended 5-20-2013 by Ord. No. 1176]
|
Number of Alarms Within a Calendar Year
|
Penalty per Offense
| |
|---|---|---|
|
First 5 alarms
|
$100
| |
|
6th alarm
|
$500
| |
|
In excess of 7 alarms
|
$1,000 per alarm
|
B.
Penalties for false alarms transmitted from single-family
detached dwellings, individual townhouses and condominium unit dwellings
shall be as follows:
[Amended 5-20-2013 by Ord. No. 1176]
|
Number of Alarms Within a Calendar Year
|
Penalty per Offense
| |
|---|---|---|
|
First 5 alarms
|
$50
| |
|
6th alarm
|
$250
| |
|
In excess of 7 alarms
|
$500 per alarm
|
Blocking access, interfering or tampering with
or causing malicious damage to any alarm, system, unit or part thereof
shall result in a penalty of $250 for a first offense, $500 for a
second offense, and $1,000 for any third or subsequent offense.
