The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the establishment and maintenance of an efficient, effective and uniform police and fire alarm system within the Borough of Chester and to provide standards and regulations for alarm equipment, devices and systems to be installed or connected within the borough.

It shall be the policy of the borough to encourage the installation of alarm devices as an aid to public safety. To ensure appropriate response the Police and Fire Department require prior knowledge of all such systems connected and the quality of installation and maintenance must achieve minimum feasible false alarms. The Fire Department Chief shall be notified through the fire official.

No person shall install, maintain or cause to be installed or maintained any police or fire alarm system without first having been issued a permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

No person shall install, maintain or cause to be installed or maintained, any police or fire alarm equipment for the purpose of transmitting a prerecorded message to the attention of the Police Department for any purpose without first having been issued a permit pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, and meeting all technical requirements for such a system, as defined by the Chief of Police. Under no circumstance shall such a system be directed to the general police emergency telephone.

All applications for the issuance of a police alarm permit shall be made in writing to the Chief of Police on an application form provided and the initial application shall be accompanied by a permit fee as established in Chapter 127, Fees.

All applications for a fire alarm installation permit shall be made through the construction official. Initial permit fee shall be as established in Chapter 127, Fees.

All such permits issued under this chapter shall expire on December 31 of the year in which they are granted and are subject to renewal. Where application for renewal is made on or before January 31 of the succeeding year, the fee for renewal shall be as established in Chapter 127, Fees. Renewal application on or after February 1 of the succeeding year shall be charged as for a new application. Subscribers on the effective date of this chapter who have paid fees under previous ordinances shall be charged only the renewal fee for the next year.

The application form shall contain the name, address, and telephone number of the applicant, the location of the premises to be serviced, block and lot, the name of the installer, the type of police or fire alarm equipment, the provisions relating to false alarms and testing procedures, a list of persons to be contacted in the event of an alarm, and such other information as required by the Chief of Police or Fire Chief.

The Chief of Police shall cause an investigation to be made, and thereafter, provided the applicant has complied with all of the terms of this chapter and the rules and regulations promulgated and adopted pursuant thereto, shall then issue a permit.

The Construction Official shall cause the Fire Subcode Official to review plans and specifications and inspect fire alarm systems installed in accordance with this chapter. A permit shall then be issued.

The applicant shall furnish and complete all information required relating to the application and the police or fire alarm equipment to be installed or connected and data relating to the prevention of false alarms and testing procedures.

The applicant shall maintain the equipment in good condition and repair, as needed.

No permit shall be transferred or assigned in any manner.

The permit is accepted upon the express condition that the applicant shall indemnify and hold the Borough of Chester harmless from any and all damages arising out of the activities of the permittee and the alarm contractor.

The applicant, upon acceptance of such permit, thereby agrees to hold and save harmless the Borough of Chester, its agents or employees from any and all liabilities whatsoever in connection with any such police or fire alarm, equipment or the operation and maintenance of the said alarm equipment.

The applicant willfully failed to and did not comply with a request by a member of the Police Department to proceed immediately to the premises.

The applicant or tenant of the premises failed to evacuate the premises upon activation of a fire alarm.

The applicant knowingly installed or maintained a faulty alarm system. An inordinate number of false alarms shall be prima facie evidence that such alarm device is knowingly a faulty device.

The applicant has breached the terms and conditions of the permit.

Each alarm system shall contain an automatic device that terminates (deactivates the alarm condition) no longer than 15 minutes after initiation except for fire alarm systems, the Chief of Police and Fire Chief may make, prescribe and promulgate rules and regulations regarding the alarm equipment, devices or systems covered by the section.

Such rules and regulations shall be made, prescribed and promulgated to sufficiently promote and ensure an effective and uniform police and fire alarm system and proper installation and connection; provide for maintenance of records and efficient management of the alarm system, the speedy and accurate operation and reporting of alarms, minimizing mechanical failure, minimizing false alarms, and the consequential dangers of same to citizens of the Borough of Chester; the proper monitoring of alarms, and prompt response to such alarms, the prevention of jamming of the switchboard and the creation of nuisance or other interference or hindrance with the proper operation of duties of the Police and Fire Department.

Said rules and regulations and all changes thereof shall be subject to the approval of the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chester.

Any person who shall install, cause to be installed or maintain an alarm system without a permit in violation of § 82-3A shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $50.

Any person who shall connect or cause to be connected any equipment to the Police Department telephone system without a permit in violation of § 82-3B shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $250.

Any person who fails to evacuate the premises upon activation of a fire alarm shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $25.

A permittee shall be accountable for false alarms caused by equipment failure or malfunction of the alarm system installed by the permittee's installer or the permittee's alarm maintenance company.

A permittee shall not be held accountable for false alarms caused by severe weather conditions, electrical malfunctions, malfunctions of the alarm console located at a location designated by the Chief of Police of Chester Borough or malfunction of telephone lines used to transport the alarm signal over which the permittee or the permittee's alarm installer or maintenance company have no control.

In case of false alarms which summon the Fire Department, the Police Chief or Fire Chief shall report such false alarms to the Fire Official, who shall cause an investigation to be made and shall keep a record of false alarms on file.

In the event of a false alarm, any person having knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Chester Borough Police Department in a manner so prescribed by rules and regulations promulgated by the Chief of Police of Chester Borough as may be established from time to time. In addition, in the case of a false alarm, the Chief of Police of Chester Borough shall cause an investigation to be made and keep a record of said alarms on file. For such false alarms, the following penalties are herein prescribed:

In the event of a third or subsequent false alarm within any twelve-month period as outlined above, an investigation shall be conducted by the Chief of Police of the Borough of Chester, or the Fire Chief of the Chester Volunteer Fire Department, or their designee, as may be appropriate. Where the investigation disclosed continued abuse or negligent operation of an alarm system and a disregard for the taking of remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the Chief of Police of the Borough of Chester or the Fire Chief of the Chester Volunteer Fire Company may require disconnection of the alarm device for a limited or permanent period of time; provided, however, that the permittee shall be given written notice of the intended disconnection and shall have an opportunity within 14 days of said notice, to show cause before the Borough Council of the Borough of Chester any such action should not be taken. The determination of the Borough Council in such matters shall be based upon the effect on the general public health, safety and welfare of the continued use of the alarm system in question.

Failure to remit a required service fee or to comply with a Borough of Chester Council determination that this connection is required shall subject the permittee to the penalty set forth herein. Each and every day the permittee fails to comply with said fees or determinations shall constitute a separate offense.