[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Westwood 8-22-1978 by Ord. No. 812; amended in its entirety 10-1-2013 by Ord. No.
13-22. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations
for various types of intrusion, burglar, and other emergency alarm
devices, whether it is a dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect alarm
or local alarm.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who
operates, maintains or owns any dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect
alarm or local alarm system designed to summon the Police Department
or other municipal agencies to any location in response to any type
of alarm signal.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
That type of device using telephone lines to transmit an
alarm directly through the Police Department or other municipal agency.
Any alarm or device which, when activated, signals the Police
Department or other municipal agency directly by the use of an electronic
or radio signal.
Any alarm activated by, or resulting from, inadvertence,
negligence or an unintentional act of someone other than an intruder,
and shall include as well alarms caused by malfunction of the alarm
device.
Any alarm or device which, when activated, signals any nongovernmental
person, entity or agency, whether located within or without the territorial
limits of the Borough of Westwood, by use of a dial, electronic or
radio signal, the report of which is then, by the use of a dial, electronic
or radio signal or manual voice response, communicated to the Police
Department or other municipal agency.
Any alarm or device which, when activated, produces a visual
and/or noise signal and is not connected to telephone lines to the
Police Department or other municipal agency.
Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation, association,
business, club or organization.
A.
Any person who owns or operates a dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect
alarm or local alarm shall notify, in writing, the Chief of Police
within 90 days from the final passage of this chapter, which application
shall contain at least the location of the device, the name and address
of the installer of the device, the type of device, provisions relating
to false alarms and testing procedures, a list of persons to be contacted
in the event of an alarm and other information as may be required
by the Chief of Police. Forms may be obtained at headquarters or by
going to the Borough website at http://www.westwoodnj.gov/ and navigating
to "Forms" on the Police Department page through the "Departments
and Services" link.
B.
No person may install or cause to be installed a dial alarm, direct
alarm, indirect alarm or local alarm device without first obtaining
a permit for the installation from the Construction Department of
the Borough of Westwood.
A.
Persons having either dial alarms, direct alarms, indirect alarms
or local alarm devices shall be required to leave with the Police
Department the name of a person or persons who can be reached in case
of malfunction of the equipment in order that the device can be temporarily
disconnected. In lieu thereof, this requirement can be fulfilled by
leaving a tagged key to the premises with the Chief of Police of the
Borough of Westwood, provided that in so doing the owner thereby releases
the Borough of Westwood and the Police Department from any claims
of damage or loss in connection with said entry.
B.
Persons having alarm devices which are 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.
A.
In the case of false alarms, any person having knowledge thereof
shall immediately notify the Police Department in the fastest possible
manner.
B.
The Chief of Police shall cause an investigation to be made of all
false alarms and shall keep a record of said alarms on file.
C.
For such false alarms, the Mayor and Council prescribes the following
penalties per calendar year:
(1)
For the first, second and third false alarms, the Police Department
shall issue written warnings.
(2)
For the fourth false alarm, the Police Department shall issue a written
complaint with a fine not to exceed $25 plus court costs.
(3)
For the fifth through 12th false alarms, the Police Department shall
issue a written complaint per each false alarm with a fine not to
exceed $200 plus court costs.
(4)
For more than 12 false alarms in any given calendar year, the Police
Department shall issue a written complaint per each false alarm with
a fine set at the discretion of the court, with court costs additional.
In addition to the penalties prescribed in § 81-6C of this chapter, where any person fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter, such person, or, in the event that the equipment malfunctions and no person can be located to secure the device, the owner, shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, General Penalty, of the Code of the Borough of Westwood.
