[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the Borough of Saddle River 12-8-1975 by Ord. No. 254-C;
amended in its entirety 11-21-1994 by Ord. No. 615-C. Subsequent amendments
noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards
and regulations for various types of burglar, fire, smoke and other
emergency alarm devices within the municipality, other than those
installed in banks and savings and loan associations required to have
alarm devices by other governmental agencies.
This chapter shall apply to any person who operates,
maintains or owns any burglar, fire, smoke or other warning device
designed to summon the Police Department, Fire Department or other
municipal agencies to any location in response to the alarm.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any type of alarm system using standard telephone lines directly
calling the Police Department to transmit a voice message by a tape
recording, digital voice storage or similar means.
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C]
That type of device which, when activated, signals the Saddle
River Police Department, Saddle River Fire Department directly by
use of an electronic or radio signal.
Any alarm activated by inadvertence, negligence, malfunction
of the alarm device or unintentional act of someone other than an
intruder in the premises which is protected by the alarm device, but
shall not include any alarm caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes
or other violent natural conditions or by general interruptions of
electrical power or telephone service.
That type of device which, when activated, produces a visual
andlor noise signal that can be heard or seen beyond the property
line of the premises where it is installed and is not transmitted
in any manner to the Saddle River Police Department, Saddle River
Fire Department. Local alarms also include alarms transmitted into
a central station service or other such third party reporting agency.
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C]
Includes any natural person, partnerships, corporation, association,
business, club or organization operating, maintaining or owning any
burglar, fire, smoke, or other warning designed to summon the Police
Department, Fire Department or other municipal agencies to any location
in response to the alarm.
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C]
A.Â
No person shall install or operate within the Borough
of Saddle River a dial alarm, direct alarm or local alarm without
a permit and registration of the alarm with the Saddle River Police
Department.
B.Â
Every dial alarm, direct alarm or local alarm installed
or maintained within the Borough of Saddle River shall be in sound
operating condition, free from defects which may cause a false alarm.
Any and all audible local alarms must reset within 15 minutes of the
initial activation.
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C]
C.Â
Any person who owns or operates a dial alarm, direct
alarm or local alarm within the Borough of Saddle River shall designate
a person or persons who can be reached in the case of a malfunction
of the alarm in order that the alarm can be reset or temporarily disabled.
D.Â
In the event that a person who owns or operates a
dial alarm, direct alarm or local alarm within the Borough of Saddle
River shall have his alarm repaired or tested, he shall first notify
the Saddle River Police Department before such repairs or tests are
made and after such repairs or tests are completed in order to avoid
a false alarm.
A.Â
Any person who owns or operates or wishes to install
a dial alarm, direct alarm or local alarm within the Borough of Saddle
River shall first register for the continuance or installation of
such alarm in writing to the Saddle River Police Department. Such
registration shall be made upon forms provided by the Saddle River
Police Department, which shall require:
(1)Â
The location of the alarm panel and key pad(s).
(2)Â
The type of alarm.
(3)Â
The names, addresses and telephone numbers of persons,
who can be reached in case of malfunction of the equipment in order
that the alarm may be reset or temporarily disabled.
(4)Â
Any additional information that may be reasonably
required concerning the installation, operation, testing and functioning
of the alarm.
(5)Â
As a part of the application, the person seeking the
permit shall provide an agreement to release the Borough of Saddle
River and its officers, agents and employees, and further to indemnify
and save harmless the Borough of Saddle River and its officers, agents
and employees for or on account of any acts or omissions directly
or indirectly related to the installation, operation, or maintenance
of the alarm panel located at the Upper Saddle River Police Department
and the connection of the applicant's alarm system thereto.
[Added 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C]
B.Â
Upon the completion and filing of the registration
form, the Saddle River Police Department shall issue a permit signed
by the Chief of Police for the installation and operation of the alarm.
C.Â
A registration fee of $25 shall be charged for the
registration of all alarms installed in the Borough of Saddle River.
The fee shall be paid to the Borough Clerk at the time the registration
documents are filed. No fees shall be prorated or refundable. Any
time a property is sold or conveyed, and a continuing certificate
of occupancy (CCO) is required a new registration document shall be
filed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Additionally,
a new registration fee of $25 shall be charged and paid to the Borough
Clerk at the time the new registration documents are filed.
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C; 9-21-1998 by Ord. No.98-668-C]
D.Â
In the event of a change in ownership or occupancy
of any structure having an alarm required to be registered under this
chapter, the new owner or occupant of such structure shall reregister
the alarm with the Saddle River Police Department within 30 days after
receiving written notice from the Police Department of the registration
requirements for this chapter.
A.Â
Any person who owns or operates a dial alarm, direct alarm or local alarm shall be liable for the penalties set forth in § 67-7 for any false alarm caused by such alarm device.
B.Â
In the case of a false alarm, any person having knowledge
thereof shall immediately notify the Saddle River Police Department.
C.Â
The Saddle River Police Department shall cause an investigation to be made of all false alarms and their causes, maintain a record of each false alarm for each alarm device and make such records available to the Saddle River Municipal Court for the use of the Court when imposing penalties for violations of this chapter under the provisions of § 67-7 of this chapter.
A.Â
Any person who owns or operates a dial alarm, direct
alarm or local alarm which causes a false alarm shall not be subject
to any penalty for such a false alarm for the first two such occurrences
within a calendar year. On those two occasions, it shall be presumed
that the alarm was working for the purpose for which it was designed.
On the occurrence of each of those first two false alarms, a written
advisory notice shall be issued by the Police Department. On the third
occurrence of a false alarm within the calendar year, a written warning
shall be issued by the Police Department. After the third occurrence
of a false alarm the Police Department will also require the following:
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-642-C]
(1)Â
Each component of an alarm system shall be inspected
and tested by a licensed electrician or a licensed alarm company and
an affidavit is to be presented to the Police Department by the registrant
within 10 days after issuance of the written warning setting forth
the following:
(a)Â
The date of the test and the name and address
of each person performing the test or inspection.
(b)Â
A statement that the system and each component
has been found to be in proper working order; or that all necessary
repairs have been completed so that, at the time of submission of
the affidavit, the alarm system is in proper working order.
(2)Â
Any person testing an alarm system covered by the
provisions of this chapter shall notify police headquarters immediately
prior to and after the testing is completed. Failure to do so constitutes
a violation of this chapter.
(3)Â
If there are any additional false alarms which occur within the 10 days set forth in Section 67-7A(1), and prior to the registrant presenting their affidavit to the Police Department, that false alarm will not be counted as an additional false alarm.
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On the fourth occurrence of a false alarm within
the calendar year, a summons will be issued and the owner liable for
a penalty of $50. On the fifth occurrence of a false alarm within
the calendar year, a summons will be issued and the owner liable for
a penalty of $100. On the sixth occurrence of a false alarm within
the calendar year, a summons will be issued and the owner liable for
a penalty of $150. On the seventh occurrence of a false alarm within
the calendar year, a summons will be issued and the owner liable for
a penalty of $200. On the eighth and each subsequent occurrence of
a false alarm within the calendar year, a summons will be issued and
the owner liable for a penalty of not less than $200 and not more
than $1,000 and a mandatory court appearance shall be required.
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B.Â
Anyone owning an alarm within the Borough of Saddle
River shall be responsible for the cancellation of said alarm when
activation occurs. The burden and obligation of providing the Police
Department with current and updated lists of persons available for
canceling or disabling the alarm lie solely with the alarm owner or
operator. Failure to cancel or disable an alarm which continues after
the activation thereof, within two hours from the time said alarm
activation is reported to the Police Department between the hours
of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., or one hour between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00
am., will result in the issuance of a summons and the imposing of
a penalty of not more than $200 for each offense.
[Amended 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-462-C]
C.Â
The Police Chief shall cause a written notice to be
mailed to the owner or lessee of the alarm system within 30 days of
the fourth and each additional false alarm, setting forth the fee
due and payable under this chapter.
In the event of four or more malfunctions of
a dial alarm, direct alarm or local alarm devices which cause four
or more false alarms in one calendar year, it shall be presumed that
said alarm device is unreliable and the Mayor and Council may require
the owner or operator to remove or disconnect said alarm device. The
owner or operator of such alarm device shall have the right to request
a hearing, at which time he may submit evidence to the Mayor and Council
concerning the reliability of the alarm device.
[Added 10-21-1996 by Ord. No. 96-462-C]
Effective December 31, 1997 dial alarms will
no longer be permitted in the Borough of Saddle River.
