[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Cornwall 10-10-1995
by L.L. No. 2-1995. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 84.
The Town Board of the Town of Cornwall recognizes that there are an
increasing number of alarm systems being installed in residential and nonresidential
structures in the unincorporated area of the Town of Cornwall. These alarms
are designed to provide notice of an emergency situation, including unauthorized
entry into a structure or facility or an unauthorized activity within the
structure, and may include a fire alarm as well. In many cases, the notice
of the emergency situation is transmitted to the Cornwall Police Department,
which responds by dispatching a police officer or officers to the scene of
the activated alarm. The Town Board has determined that in a number of cases
the activation of the alarm system is caused by other than an emergency. These
false alarms can cause an undue burden upon the Police Department, both because
the responses to false alarms may delay the response to an actual emergency
situation and because of the expense incurred by the Department in responding
to false alarms. The Town Board does not wish to take any action which would
deter or limit the use of alarm systems, but it does wish to enact regulations
which will encourage the proper maintenance of alarm systems by designating
as a violation of the penalty provisions of the Code of the Town of Cornwall
excessive false alarms, as defined in this chapter.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall
be defined as set forth below:
Any mechanical or electrical device which is designed or used for
the detection of an unauthorized entry into a structure or facility or for
alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act within the structure
or facility or the detection of a fire, and which device emits a sound or
transmits a signal or message when actuated.
A device which functions as an alarm system by generating an audible
sound in the structure or facility when it is actuated.
A device which functions as an alarm system and includes equipment
that automatically or electronically selects a telephone line connected to
a central alarm station and transmits a prerecorded message to report an unauthorized
entry into a structure or facility or a fire requiring emergency response.
An audible alarm and/or a direct dialer alarm to which the Cornwall
Police Department responds when an emergency situation does not exist. A false
alarm caused by telephone-line faults, power outages or severe weather conditions
when no emergency situation exists is not a false alarm as defined herein.
A natural person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or
other entity who or which purchases, leases, contracts for or otherwise obtains
or uses an alarm system.
The Police Department of the Town of Cornwall.
An alarm system which is not serviced by a person engaged in the
business of servicing alarm systems.
An alarm system which is serviced by a person engaged in the business
of servicing alarm systems.
A.
Every audible alarm shall be equipped with an automatic
cutoff device which will deactivate the audible alarm not later than 20 minutes
from the initial activation of the audible alarm.
B.
Every person as defined above shall provide the Police
Department with the name, address and telephone number of a primary and of
a secondary individual to be contacted in the event of activation of the alarm
system. Each of these individuals shall be provided with the necessary equipment
or code to deactivate the alarm system. Every such person must advise the
Police Department with the information concerning the primary and secondary
individuals within 24 hours of the installation of any alarm system and must
notify the Police Department within 24 hours of any changes in either the
name, address or telephone number of either the primary or the secondary individual
to be contacted. The failure to provide accurate information shall constitute
a violation of this chapter. The failure to provide the information within
the twenty-four-hour period shall constitute a violation of this chapter.
C.
Every person shall provide the Police Department with
detailed directions to the structure or facility which is alarmed, together
with a description of the structure or facility.
If an alarm system activates more than four false alarms within a thirty-day
period or more than 10 false alarms within a twelve-month period, the alarm
system shall be deemed to be a noncomplying alarm system. The Police Department
shall not be obligated to provide a priority response to any alarm activations
from a noncomplying alarm system until the Police Department has received
written notification of repairs to the alarm system, which written notification
shall be signed either by the owner or lessee of a proprietor alarm or by
the person servicing a subscriber alarm.
To the extent permitted by law, all information provided to the Police
Department shall not be subject to public inspection and shall be maintained
by the Police Department in confidence.
The provisions of this chapter are not applicable to alarm systems installed
in motor vehicles.
Any person who violates any provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of a violation and shall be subject to the general penalty provisions of § 1-11 of the Code of the Town of Cornwall.
