[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Carlisle 12-8-1983 by Ord. No. 1440, approved 12-8-1983. Amendments noted where applicable]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Police Department — See Ch. 55.
Fees — See Ch. 120.
Peace and good order — See Ch. 170.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms are defined as follows:
ALARM
A communication to the Police Department indicating that a crime, fire or other emergency situation warranting action by emergency services has occurred or is occurring.
ALARM DEVICE
A mechanical device designed to automatically transmit an alarm by wire, telephone, radio, audio or other means:
A. 
Directly to the Police Department or county communications.
B. 
To a person who is instructed to notify the Police or Fire Department or other agencies of the alarm.
CENTRAL RECEIVING STATION
The alarm console or control panel installed in the Police Department for the purpose of giving visual and/or audio response to alarm devices.
COMMUNICATIONS
Act of or system of transmitting information.
DIRECT ALARM DEVICE
An alarm device, other than a telephone dialer alarm device, designed to transmit an alarm directly to the Police Department or county communications.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Those fire, police or ambulance personnel of the Borough of Carlisle and those from outside the Borough providing such services as agents of the Borough.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm to which the Police or Fire Department responds resulting from the activation of an alarm device when a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by the Police or Fire Department has not, in fact, occurred.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
[Amended 3-10-1988 by Ord. No. 1576, approved 3-10-1988]
The Carlisle Fire Department composed of those chartered fire companies within the confines of the Borough of Carlisle[1] or similarly chartered companies outside the environs of Carlisle which respond as agents of the Carlisle Fire Department.
INDIRECT ALARM DEVICE
An alarm device designed to transmit an alarm to a person who is instructed to notify the Police, Fire Department or county control of the alarm.
INTENTIONAL FALSE ALARM
A false alarm resulting from the intentional activation of an alarm device by an individual under circumstances where that individual has no reasonable basis to believe that a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by the Police or Fire Department has occurred or is occurring.
NOTIFICATION
The required alarm device information which a subscriber must furnish to the Police Department to receive the Police Department's monitoring services for an alarm device.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership, incorporated association or other similar entity.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Borough of Carlisle Police Department.[2]
SUBSCRIBER
A person whose alarm device terminates in the alarm central receiving station console located in the Police Department.
TELEPHONE DIALER ALARM DEVICE
An alarm device designed to automatically transmit a recorded message over regular telephone lines directly to the Police or Fire Department.
YEAR or CURRENT YEAR
The twelve-month period commencing January 1 and ending December 31.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 22, Fire Department, § 22-1.
[2]
Editor's Note: See Ch. 55, Police Department.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to put an alarm device into operation or to allow an alarm device to be put into operation without first providing notification to the Police Department. Said notification shall be provided by the person or his/her authorized agent whose premises are to be served by the alarm device.
B. 
The person filing the notification shall be responsible to pay any and all charges required to be paid pursuant to this chapter.
C. 
In order to make notification, a person must:
(1) 
Complete the alarm notification form provided by the Police Department.
(2) 
Sign a disclaimer form.
D. 
Address changes.
(1) 
Permanent changes of individuals to be contacted in the event of emergency must be directed in writing to the Chief of Police, Municipal Building, 53 West South Street, Carlisle, PA 17013.
(2) 
Temporary changes of individuals to be contacted in the event of an emergency shall be furnished by the subscriber to the police officer in charge by contacting said officer at 243-5252. [A temporary change is one which does not exceed seven days in duration. All other changes shall be deemed to be permanent for purposes of this chapter.]
A. 
The Borough Council shall, from time to time, select, on a competitive basis, a private firm to install and maintain within the Police Department a console for the purpose of an alarm central receiving station.
B. 
A person desiring to connect to the central receiving station in the Police Department shall file a written notification with the Police Department, Borough of Carlisle, at least 10 days prior to the date on which the subscriber desires to make the connection.
C. 
The private firm selected by Borough Council to install and maintain a console within the Police Department for the purpose of an alarm central receiving station shall be permitted to charge subscribers an initial connection fee. Said fee shall be agreed to by the Borough at the time the private firm is selected.
D. 
A yearly charge shall be made by the Borough of Carlisle against each subscriber for the cost of that subscriber's alarms, in an amount as set forth in Chapter 120, Fees, as amended.
[Amended 6-11-1987 by Ord. No. 1541, approved 6-11-1987]
E. 
Any person who was serviced by an alarm device terminating in the Police Department prior to the adoption of this chapter shall not be required to pay the initial connection charge for connecting to the central receiving station but shall be required to pay the annual charge.
[Amended 6-11-1987 by Ord. No. 1541, approved 6-11-1987]
F. 
The annual connection charge for the first calendar year during which the connection is in existence shall be collected on a prorated basis as set forth in Chapter 120, Fees, as amended.
[Amended 6-11-1987 by Ord. No. 1541, approved 6-11-1987]
G. 
The annual charge and initial connection charge shall be paid within 30 days from the date on which the connection is initially made to the central receiving station, and annual charges becoming due thereafter shall be paid within 30 days from the date of invoice.
H. 
Should a party terminate a connection prior to the expiration of any calendar year or if such service is terminated by the Borough, refunds will be based on the annual fee charge described in Subsection F above.
A. 
It shall be unlawful to cause an intentional false alarm.
B. 
Where an alarm device is activated where no emergency exists to warrant such activation, a false alarm charge shall be made by the Borough of Carlisle. Said false alarm charge(s) shall be set by resolution of Borough Council from time to time.[1] In addition to the foregoing, a person that owns, uses or possesses an alarm device or automatic dialing device may not, after causing or permitting three false alarms to occur in a consecutive twelve-month period, cause or permit a subsequent false alarm to occur in the same consecutive twelve-month period. A person that violates this subsection commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $300 pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 7511.[2]
[1]
Editor's Note: The current fee resolution is on file in the office of the Borough Secretary.
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
C. 
When it is determined that a false alarm charge is due from the subscriber, said subscriber will be notified by the Police Department of each false alarm on which a false alarm charge is due and the amount thereof.
D. 
Such notice of false alarm charges shall be in writing and mailed to the subscriber or his or her authorized agent by regular mail.
E. 
A false alarm charge shall be due and payable 30 days from the date of the mailing of the notice of assessment of the false alarm charge.
A. 
The assumption of monitoring services by the Police Department shall not constitute acceptance by the Borough of Carlisle of any liability to maintain any equipment in connection with such alarm devices.
B. 
The Borough of Carlisle, its officers, representatives and employees shall not be liable for and will be held harmless for any loss or injury to person or property occasioned by the failure of any alarm device to properly perform.
If the Borough Council decides to discontinue operation of a central receiving station facility, it shall notify all subscribers serviced by said facility of its intention to discontinue operation of the facility.
[Amended 3-10-1988 by Ord. No. 1576, approved 3-10-1988]
Any individual, establishment, partnership, corporation, entity or concern violating this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof before a District Justice having jurisdiction, be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable for each offense by a fine of not more than $1,000 and costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, by imprisonment for not more than 30 days.