[HISTORY: Adopted as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 17.
Police Department — See Ch. 33.
Licenses — See Ch. 49.
Fees — See Ch. 91.
[Adopted 5-7-1990 ATM, Art. 13[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This Article also superseded former Ch. 48, Alarm Systems, adopted 5-3-1982 Annual Town Meeting. Art. 26.
[Amended 9-15-2020 STM, Art. 2]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM SYSTEM
Any device which, when activated, transmits a signal to the Police Department, Fire Department, or their dispatch center, or transmits a signal to a person or company who relays information to the Police Department, Fire Department, or dispatch center, or produces an audible or visible signal to which the Police Department and/or Fire Department is expected to respond.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Any telephone number designated by the Police Chief or Fire Chief as a telephone number through which members of the public may report an emergency or request public assistance.
FALSE EMERGENCY ALARM
Any signal transmitted by an alarm system to which the Police or Fire Department responds which is not the result of an emergency.
[Amended 9-15-2020 STM, Art. 2]
Alarm systems shall be connected to a central station or similar monitoring system which shall then notify the Great Barrington dispatch center by a dedicated telephone number or other approved method. No alarm shall be automatically transmitted to the Police Department, Fire Department, or dispatch center without written consent from the applicable department.
No person shall use, operate or install any dialing device that will, upon activation, automatically dial, call or connect with the telephone number designated by the Chief of Police, Fire Chief or Emergency Communication Commission, for the purpose of receiving such alarm messages, more than twice for any one incident. Any system installed on or after the effective date of this article must comply with this article. Preexisting installations must comply within 90 days of the effective date of this article.
Upon the activation of a burglar (break-in) alarm, there shall be a mandatory delay of at least 15 seconds before the transmission of a signal to the Police Department to enable the user to abort the signal in the event that it was triggered inadvertently. This delay shall not be applicable to a robber (holdup), fire or medical emergency alarm. Any system installed on or after the effective date of this article must comply within 90 days of the effective date of this article.
The user of every alarm system emitting an audible, visual or other response shall, at the time such system is installed or within 90 days of the effective date of this article in the case of existing systems, install or cause to be installed an automatic timing device which shall deactivate such alarm so that it will be activated for no more than 15 minutes.
[Amended 5-6-1996 ATM, Art. 19; 5-3-1999 ATM, Art. 27; 9-15-2020 STM, Arts. 2 and 11]
A fee may be charged for each false alarm in accordance with a policy set by the Selectboard. A fee for a false alarm may not exceed $250.
In the event that an alarm system emitting an audible, visual or other similar response shall fail to be deactivated within the time limitation specified in § 48-5 above, the Town shall have the right to take such action as may be necessary in order to disconnect any such alarm.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. II, Communication Committee Fees, adopted 5-22-1990, was repealed 9-15-2020 STM, Art. 2.