[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Washington 4-16-1984 by Ord. No. 5-84 (Sec. 6-14 of the Revised
General Ordinances); amended in its entirety 7-20-2009 by Ord. No. 16-09. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations concerning
the operation and maintenance of certain alarm systems within the
Township of Washington and to provide penalties for violations of
any of the provisions set forth herein.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall
apply:
Any type of alarm-actuating equipment which provides warning
of intrusion, fire, smoke, burglary, medical emergency, flood or like
perils, including dial alarms (devices using normal telephone lines
transmitting notification by telephone directly to a third-party service
provider.
The installation in one or more buildings of one or more
alarm devices for the express purpose of giving visual or audible
warning, or both, of an emergency, such as a burglary, intrusion,
fire, smoke, medical emergency, flood or like perils, and to which
the Washington Township Police Department, the First-Aid Squad or
the Fire Department may be expected to respond.
A device that emits an audible signal from the premises that
it is designed to protect.
An alarm signal resulting in a response by the Washington
Township Police, First-Aid Squad or Fire Department, where an emergency
situation does not exist.
An audible alarm or one that emits a flashing light or other
warning not transmitted beyond the immediate area.
Any natural person, partnership, corporation, association
or other legal entity.
On or after the effective date of this chapter, no owner, tenant,
person or occupant (herein collectively referred to as "person") shall
install or cause to be installed in any premises within the Township
of Washington any alarm system, device or apparatus that communicates
a condition that may be expected to result in a response by the Washington
Township Police, First-Aid Squad or Fire Department without first
receiving a permit for the installation.
A.
Applications for permits shall be on a form prescribed by the Chief
of Police of the Township.
B.
Permits shall be issued by the Chief of Police or such other person
authorized as his designee.
C.
No permit shall be issued unless the applicant demonstrates that
the alarm system to be installed meets the standards set forth in
this chapter.
D.
An application for a permit shall constitute an authorization that
the Township may, on reasonable notice to the person, inspect the
alarm system for the purpose of determining whether the system continues
to comply with the standards set forth in this chapter.
E.
An initial registration fee of $50 shall be payable to the Township
upon issuance of a two-year permit.
[Amended 4-16-2012 by Ord. No. 06-12; 4-21-2014 by Ord. No. 06-14]
F.
Permits shall be issued annually and shall expire on December 31
of the year issued. Renewals must be submitted on or before December
31 accompanied by a check in the amount of $25 made payable to the
Township of Washington. All permits expiring during calendar year
2014 are extended to December 31, 2014, and must be renewed prior
to December 31, 2014. All permits expiring during calendar year 2015
are extended to December 31, 2015, and must be renewed prior to December
31, 2015. After December 31, the application will be treated as a
new application. All renewals shall be for a one-year period.
[Amended 4-16-2012 by Ord. No. 06-12; 4-21-2014 by Ord. No. 06-14]
G.
A service fee of $100 shall be payable for each alarm activation by a nonpermitted system that results in a response by the Washington Township Police, First-Aid Squad or Fire Department. Failure to pay the service fee within 30 days shall result in the issuance of a summons for failure to obtain a permit as required by § 39-3.
[Amended 9-21-2009 by Ord. No. 24-09]
All alarm systems referred to in this chapter shall, at the
time of their installation and at all times thereafter, meet the following
standards:
A.
All alarm systems must meet reasonable safety standards, such as
those acceptable to Underwriters Laboratories or equivalent.
B.
Every alarm system capable of signaling multiple types of warnings
shall be equipped with separate distinguishing signals, as reasonably
required by the Chief of Police, to the end that the appropriate authorities,
upon receipt of a signal, may immediately ascertain the nature and
cause of the signal.
C.
All alarm systems capable of emitting audible signals shall be equipped
with an operating device which will automatically, by mechanical,
electrical or other means, shut off such audible signal after 15 minutes
of continuous sound audible beyond the boundaries of the premises
in which the alarm system is located.
D.
In any case where the alarm system emits sound in violation of the
foregoing subsection, the operation or maintenance of the alarm system
shall be deemed to constitute the grant of permission by the owners
and occupants of the premises for law enforcement, first aid or fire
officials to enter the said premises and investigate and to reset
the alarm system.
Alarm systems installed or in use at the effective date of this chapter shall conform to the requirements of this chapter within 180 days after the effective date hereof. All persons shall apply for permits for such systems within 30 days of the effective date of this chapter. In the event of a failure of any system to comply with the provisions of this subsection or of § 39-5 of this chapter, the Township may prosecute under § 39-9.
A.
It shall be the responsibility of all persons maintaining an alarm
system within the Township to leave with the Police Department the
name of a person or persons who can be reached in case of an emergency
or malfunction of the alarm device in order that the device can be
temporarily disconnected. Additionally, owners may leave a tagged
key to the premises with the Chief of Police of the Township, provided
that, in so doing, the owner thereby releases the Township of Washington
and the Police Department from any claims of damage or loss in connection
with said action.
B.
Persons having an alarm device which is being tested or repaired
shall notify the Police Department before tests or repairs commence
and after completion of same so as to avoid the possibility of activating
a false alarm.
C.
The permittee is responsible for whatever charges are required by
any alarm company making such installations.
A.
It shall be the responsibility of all persons maintaining an alarm
system within the Township to prevent the transmission of false alarms
through a program of training and periodic inspection and maintenance
of the system.
B.
Notification and investigations. In the case of a false alarm, any
person having knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Police
Department. In the case of false alarms, the Chief of Police shall
cause an investigation to be made and shall keep a record of the alarms
on file.
C.
Service fees for false alarms. In any twelve-month period from July
1 through June 30, the following service fees shall apply in order
to help offset the cost of responding to a false alarm:
(1)
Upon the occurrence of the first and second false alarms, a written
warning shall be issued to the owner or proprietor by the Chief of
Police or his designee.
(2)
Upon the occurrence of all subsequent false alarms, a service fee
shall be payable by the owner or proprietor in accordance with the
following schedule:
|
Number of False Alarms
|
Service Fee
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Third false alarm
|
$100
| |
|
Fourth false alarm
|
$150
| |
|
Fifth false alarm
|
$200
| |
|
Sixth false alarm
|
$250
| |
|
Seventh false alarm
|
$300
| |
|
Eighth false alarm
|
$350
| |
|
Ninth false alarm
|
$400
| |
|
Tenth false alarm
|
$450
|
(3)
In the event of a 10th or subsequent false alarm, in addition to the service fee established herein, the occurrence of a 10th false alarm in any twelve-month period between July 1 and June 30 shall be deemed a violation of this section, and the Police Chief, or his designee, or the Fire Chief, as appropriate, shall cause a summons to issue in Municipal Court, for prosecution under § 39-9 of this chapter.
(4)
Service fees shall be payable to the Township of Washington within 30 days of service of written notice of the third or subsequent false alarms. The calculation of the number of false alarms shall be without regard to whether the false alarms involved intrusion alarms or fire alarms. Failure to pay such service fee within 30 days shall be deemed a violation of this section, and the Police Chief, or his designee, or the Fire Chief, as appropriate, shall cause a summons to issue in Municipal Court for prosecution under § 39-9 of this chapter.
[Amended 4-21-2014 by Ord. No. 06-14]
Any person or persons, firms, corporations or other organizations found to be in violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalties provided in § 1-3 of this Code. Each violation of the requirements of this chapter and each and every day the same is violated shall be deemed to be a separate and distinct offense.
