[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Fredon Ord. No. 99-03 (Sec. 3-12 of the 1972 Revised General Ordinances). Amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 200.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards and regulations
concerning the operation and maintenance of various types of intrusion,
security and fire alarm devices and systems within the Township of
Fredon and to provide penalties for violations hereof.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who
operates, maintains or owns any alarm device, system or local alarm
designed to summon the police, fire department, or any other state,
county or local emergency personnel to any location within the Township
of Fredon in response to any type of signal, alarm or preprogrammed,
prerecorded message.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall
apply:
Any type of alarm-actuating equipment which provides warning
of intrusion, fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, burglary, medical emergency,
flood or like perils or emergencies, including automatic calling devices
(devices using normal telephone lines transmitting notification by
telephone directly to a private alarm company and then through the
private company either to the New Jersey State Police, the Fredon
Township Fire Department or any other state, county or local emergency
personnel.
That component installed in a central location containing
alarm indications and designations.
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.
A device that emits an audible signal from the premises that
it is designed to protect.
Any alarm activated by inadvertent, negligent, unintentional
or intentional act or omission of a person, other than an intruder
or by fire, and shall also include alarms caused by malfunctioning
of the alarm device or other related equipment resulting in a response
by police, a first aid squad, fire department, or any other state,
county or local emergency personnel where an emergency situation does
not exist.
An audible alarm or one that when activated emits a visual
or audible signal or other alarm device warning transmitted beyond
the borders of the premises in which the alarm system is located,
such as electronically powered smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector.
It shall not include a motor vehicle antitheft alarm.
Any natural person, partnership, corporation, association
or other legal entity.
All alarm systems referred to in the section 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 New Jersey State Police, to the end that the appropriate
authorities (including third-party providers), upon receipt of a signal,
may immediately ascertain the nature and cause of the signal.
C.
Alarm systems equipped with automatic calling devices connecting
a private agency that shall then contact the New Jersey State Police,
the Fredon Township Fire Department or any other state, county or
local emergency personnel, shall be designed, installed or maintained
to call only the number or numbers designated for that purpose by
the New Jersey State Police and shall be equipped so that no message
will be repeated more than three times. Such calling devices shall
be of the digital type. Recorded-voice message devices are not acceptable.
D.
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.
E.
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 disconnect
the alarm system.
F.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any alarm system
installed on the property occupied by the Township, county, state
or federal government agency or office or to any self-contained smoke
detection device, carbon monoxide, flood, or other security device
having only an indoor audible or visual alarm system which is not
audible except inside the premises where the alarm is located or installed.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person to have control over, or to operate,
or to install or maintain an alarm device within the Township of Fredon,
including a private alarm company, without first notifying the New
Jersey State Police of:
B.
Persons having an alarm device which is being tested or repaired
shall notify the New Jersey State Police before tests or repairs commence
and after completion of same so as to avoid the possibility of activating
a false alarm.
C.
Each person is responsible for whatever charges are required by any
alarm company making such installation and, in addition thereto, such
connection and monthly maintenance as required by the alarm company
responsible for the alarm board.
A.
In the case of a false alarm, any person having knowledge thereof
shall immediately notify the New Jersey State Police. In the case
of false alarms, the New Jersey State Police shall cause an investigation
to be made and shall keep a record of said false alarms on file. For
false alarms, the following penalties shall be imposed upon the person
or persons having control over the alarm devices or who caused or
allowed the false alarm, or both:
(1)
For the first false alarm in any given calendar year, a warning shall
be issued;
(2)
For the second false alarm in any calendar year, a civil penalty
of $25 shall be paid to the Township of Fredon;
(3)
For the third false alarm in any calendar year, a civil penalty of
$100 shall be paid to the Township of Fredon;
(4)
For the fourth and subsequent false alarms in the same calendar year,
a civil penalty not to exceed $500 for each occurrence shall be paid
to the Township of Fredon, accompanied by an advisory letter from
a licensed alarm company, dated within 30 days of the date of the
most recent false alarm, stating that the system is operating properly.
If a person fails to provide written proof that the alarm system is
operating properly, as provided above, a civil penalty may be imposed
up to a maximum of $1,000 in the municipal court's discretion.
However, the civil penalty for a fifth false alarm or any subsequent
false alarm in the same calendar year shall be $1,000, notwithstanding
any language herein to the contrary.
B.
Where the investigation of the New Jersey State Police discloses
continued abuse of the privileges of the alarm system either by the
property owner or the private alarm company and a disregard for taking
remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the Township Committee shall
have the right to require the disconnection of the alarm system permanently
or for a limited period of time, upon the recommendation of the New
Jersey State Police, provided any person whose alarm system is to
be so disconnected, shall be given an opportunity, on five days' written
notice, to show cause before the Township Committee at a public hearing
why such action should not be taken. In an emergency, the New Jersey
State Police shall be authorized to temporarily disconnect any alarm
system.
C.
All necessary steps shall be taken to immediately ascertain the cause
of any false alarm and the problem shall be corrected by the person
maintaining an alarm system or device within 72 hours or to show cause
to the New Jersey State Police why the malfunction cannot be remedied
within that time period. The New Jersey State Police shall have the
discretion to grant an additional period of time within which to make
the repair.
D.
Testing of alarm equipment. Failure to properly advise the police
desk of such test will be treated as a false alarm and be subject
to the same penalties.
Any person who violates the terms of this chapter shall be subject to a fine as set forth in § 115-6 for false alarms, and for other violations, shall be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 or not more than 90 days in jail, or by a period of community service not exceeding 90 days or any combination of the above.
