[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Easton 3-25-1980 as Title IVF of the 1980 Code of Ordinances; amended 8-22-1991; 9-23-1997. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BURGLAR ALARM
Any mechanism, equipment or device designed to transmit an audible alarm to the exterior of a dwelling or other building.
PRIVATE ALARM SYSTEM
Any mechanism, equipment or device designed to transmit to others, including but not limited to private alarm services, notice of intrusion or other emergency.
TELEPHONIC ALARM SYSTEM
Any mechanism, equipment or device which is designed to operate automatically through the use of public telephone facilities to transmit a signal, message or warning to another location.
No person shall operate or maintain a telephonic alarm system or a private alarm system which automatically or through a third party transmits a signal, message or warning to the Town of Easton Police Department or Fire Department telephone line or other emergency line without first obtaining a permit as required by this chapter.
[Amended 9-15-2014]
Application for permits to install, maintain or operate a telephonic alarm system or private alarm system which is intended to automatically or through a third party transmit a signal, message or warning to the Town Police Department or Fire Department telephone line or other emergency line shall be filed with the Chief of Police on forms supplied by the Town of Easton, together with an application fee of $25. Said application shall set forth the name, address, and telephone number of both the installer of the system and the person on whose premises the system will be installed, as well as a description of the system and the location where it is proposed to be installed.
A. 
The Chief of Police may approve such application if he finds, among other things, that:
(1) 
The use of said alarm system to transmit a signal, message or warning to a designated Town Police Department or Fire Department telephone line or other emergency line will not interfere with the orderly conduct of Town business.
(2) 
The person and/or company installing the system maintains an adequate service organization to repair, maintain and otherwise service telephonic alarm systems or private alarm systems sold or leased by him and/or it.
B. 
Said Chief of Police shall have the authority and is hereby empowered to impose reasonable conditions on the exercise of said permit.
Said Chief of Police or designee shall have the right to inspect any telephonic alarm system or private alarm system on the premises where it is intended to function prior to issuance of any permit for its operation, and he may cause an inspection of such system to be made at any time after issuance of a permit to determine whether it is being used in conformity with the terms of the permit and the provisions of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to install, operate or maintain a telephonic alarm system or private alarm system which automatically transmits a signal, message or warning to any Town Police Department or Fire Department telephone line or other emergency line except to such telephone number or numbers as designated by the permit issued under the provisions of this chapter. (Telephone dialers will be prohibited in any new systems. Preexisting dialers must not send more than two signals to the receiving center for notice of an alarm.)
[Amended 9-15-2014]
Alarms installed after the adoption of this chapter must contain an automatic timing device to shut down after 40 minutes. Existing systems must provide a key holder or an outside shutoff. Police may be key holders in such cases.
Said Chief of Police may revoke any permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Notice to the permit holder of intent to revoke said permit shall be by registered or certified mail. The permit holder shall be entitled to a hearing before said Chief of Police within 15 days of the date of issuance of the notice of intent to revoke. If, after said hearing, said Chief of Police determines that the telephonic alarm system or private alarm system installed pursuant to said permit has been installed, maintained, or operated in violation of the provisions of this chapter, or of any term or condition of said permit, or for failure to pay the annual service fee specified in § 226-9, he may order said revocation.
[Amended 9-15-2014]
Each permit holder shall pay to the Town of Easton on or before July 1 of each year a use fee as may be established by the Board of Police Commissioners from time to time.
Any person, firm or corporation having a burglar alarm, telephonic alarm system, private alarm system or any other type of intrusion alarm shall be charged a fee of $10 after the second false alarm responded to by the Easton Police Department within the period of a year, $20 after the third occurrence and $40 each after each subsequent occurrence. If the possessor of the alarm system appears in person before the Police Chief and shows to the satisfaction of the Police Chief that the false alarm was not the result of negligence, inadequately informed employees or service personnel or improper maintenance, such fee(s) may be waived.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter shall be fined $50 for each offense, and a separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.