[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough
of Wood-Ridge 12-19-1983 by Ord. No. 24-83 (Ch. 90 of the 1986
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations
for various types of intrusion, burglar, fire and other emergency
alarm devices, whether by direct line, radio, telephone or other means
actuating a device at the police headquarters or Fire Department of
the Borough of Wood-Ridge, and requiring response thereto by the Police
Department, Fire Department or other municipal agencies.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person, firm
or corporation who or which operates, maintains, installs, repairs
or owns any alarm device, remote station or local alarm designed to
summon the police, Fire Department or other municipal agencies to
any location in response to any type of alarm signal. The terms of
this chapter shall in no way prohibit alarm companies, persons, firms
and/or corporations from providing service by private source to other
dwellings or buildings within the Borough of Wood-Ridge so long as
such activity is not connected to the alarm console at the Borough
of Wood-Ridge police or fire headquarters; except, however, that any
person, firm or corporation having a premises protected by an alarm
device shall still be responsible for the registration thereof without
fee.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The console or control panel of devices giving a visual or
audio response, or both, and located within the confines of the Police
or Fire Department of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
Any type of alarm-system-actuating equipment in the alarm
console providing warning of intrusion, fire, smoke, flood or other
peril.
Any alarm device or combination of devices installed for
one or more buildings at a location other than the alarm console.
Shall be limited to a member of the Police or Fire Department
of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
That type of device using telephone lines transmitting an
alarm directly through the police or fire switchboard.
Any alarm actuated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional
act of someone other than an intruder, and shall include, as well,
alarms caused by malfunctioning of the alarm device or other relevant
equipment, but shall not include alarms created by malfunction of
the alarm console.
The person obtaining the license to maintain the alarm console
as hereinafter set forth.
Any alarm or device which when actuated produces a signal
not connected to the alarm console, such as store burglar alarms actuating
bell devices or any type of audio noises.
Any person owning, operating and/or maintaining an alarm
device or a local alarm within the scope of this chapter.
Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation or
association.
A.
There is hereby established a police alarm console license, which shall be granted upon recommendation of the Chief of Police, as set forth in § 175-5 of this chapter. Any such licensee shall have exclusive use and control of the alarm console, except for use by the Police or Fire Departments of the Borough of Wood-Ridge, and such licensee will be responsible at no cost to the Borough of Wood-Ridge for the establishment, construction, installation and maintenance of said console, containing equipment and being of a design approved by the Police Chief, and for the care, maintenance and management thereafter of said console. Said licensee shall locate said console and relocate said console, if necessary, under the supervision of the Chief of Police and Fire Department Chief at no cost to the Borough of Wood-Ridge. For any such license granted hereunder, the licensee will assume all liability and agree to indemnify and save harmless the Borough of Wood-Ridge, its agents, public officials and the Wood-Ridge Police and Fire Departments for any acts in conjunction with the operation of said alarm console, and in conjunction therewith, the licensee shall furnish annually to the Borough Clerk an insurance certificate indicating complete liability coverage in an amount no less than $300,000 for each accident and $1,000,000 property damage for each accident, noncancelable without notification to the governing body of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
[Amended 10-20-1986 by Ord. No. 86-16]
B.
Any connection to the police alarm console shall be of a type inspected
and approved by the Chief of Police of the Borough of Wood-Ridge or
his designated representative, and any person aggrieved by said decision
may appeal said decision in writing within 10 days to the governing
body of the Borough of Wood-Ridge, which shall resolve the appeal
within a reasonable time after hearing, with finality as to the right
of further appeal.
C.
All console alarms existing as of the date of the adoption of this
chapter, except dial alarms, shall be connected hereunder to the alarm
console by the licensee, and no connection cost for transfer shall
be permitted to be charged to the user or to the Borough.
D.
The licensee for the police alarm console shall be permitted to charge
subscribers an annual license fee of $75, and such license shall expire
on December 31 of each year. The license fee may be prorated. Any
increase in this fee must be approved by the governing body of the
Borough of Wood-Ridge, by resolution, after being requested by the
Chief of Police. No fee shall be charged to the Borough of Wood-Ridge
or the Board of Education of the Borough of Wood-Ridge for monthly
charges or console connection charges for any existing or future systems
in public buildings, and any equipment or alarm devices installed
by the alarm console licensee in such public buildings shall be at
wholesale cost, with no maintenance charge for an alarm connected
from municipal offices, and shall be approved by the Fire Department.
E.
The licensee shall install initially an annunciator or display console
having no less than 250 zones available for present systems and future
connections, which console shall be approved by the Underwriters'
Laboratories, Inc.
F.
Except as provided in § 175-7 of this chapter, any license issued hereunder shall be for a term of one year from date of approval by the governing body of the Borough of Wood-Ridge. Such licensee shall post with the Borough Clerk a performance bond in the amount of $10,000 noncancelable without notification to the governing body of the Borough of Wood-Ridge, guaranteeing performance for one year of the obligation of the licensee and insuring maintenance of said console and alarm system during said period when such license is in force.
A.
Prequalification. Persons desiring to bid for said license shall
make application to the committee of the governing body, which application
shall disclose whatever information may be required by the Borough
of Wood-Ridge concerning the ability of the proposed applicant to
comply with the requirements of this chapter and shall indicate, in
any event, that:
(1)
Said licensee has satisfactory financial and personal references
indicating his or its ability to comply with the terms of this chapter.
(2)
Said licensee has an office with adequate personnel, including a
licensed electrician, available on a twenty-four-hour basis to install
and service said equipment.
B.
Upon receipt by the committee of the governing body of a list of those persons or corporations who or which prequalified, the governing body shall then designate the time and place for receiving sealed bids by those eligible to submit bids, as set forth in Subsection A above, which bid shall indicate the bond and other requirements of this chapter and the maximum installation and monthly charges prescribed by this chapter or a lesser amount. Upon the return of the sealed bids, the governing body may award said license to the person whose bid taken as a whole is the most advantageous to both the subscribers to the system and to the Borough of Wood-Ridge, from a cost standpoint, and in conjunction therewith the governing body reserves the right to reject any and all bids.
A.
Any person, firm or corporation who or which owns, operates or maintains
an alarm device or a remote station shall make application for the
continuance thereof in writing to the Chief of Police, which application
shall contain at least the location of said device, the name of the
installer of said 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 Police Chief of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
B.
Local alarms and remote stations shall be registered with the Wood-Ridge
Police Department, but no fee shall be charged therefor.
C.
Any permit granted hereunder shall be granted upon the express condition
that the permittee shall indemnify and hold the Borough of Wood-Ridge
harmless from and on account of any and all damages arising out of
the activities of the permittee, its alarm contractor or the alarm
console licensee of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
The Borough of Wood-Ridge shall be under no duty or obligation
to any permittee hereunder or to any alarm console licensee hereunder,
the alarm console and allied equipment being maintained at will and
subject to termination at any time by cancellation of the system by
resolution duly adopted by the governing body of the Borough of Wood-Ridge,
and any individual permit issued hereunder may be revoked at any time
by the governing body, upon recommendation of the Police Chief, provided
that 30 days' notice is given in writing to said permittee by
registered mail.
A.
All fire alarm devices shall be installed in accordance with the
requirements of the Fire Chief, Police Chief or their designee, the
Borough of Wood-Ridge.
B.
Any licensee for the alarm console and any permittee utilizing the
services of any other alarm company connected to said console shall
provide for a representative to be on call at all times, and such
service shall be provided immediately when necessary after notification
by the Police Department of any malfunctions of any equipment.
C.
In the case of a false alarm, any person having knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Police Department in a manner to be prescribed by rules and regulations in accordance with § 175-9 of this chapter. In addition, in the case of false alarms, the Chief of Police shall cause an investigation to be made and shall keep a record of said alarms on file. For such false alarms, the governing body prescribes the following penalties: For the first and second false alarm in any calendar year, a warning shall be issued, and for the third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh in the same calendar year, a fine of not more than $100 shall be assessed against the registrant. On all subsequent false alarms, a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $250 shall be imposed against the registrant. Where the investigation of the Police Department discloses continued abuse of the privilege of connection to the alarm console and/or a disregard of the permittee for taking remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the governing body reserves the right to require disconnection from the alarm console for a limited or permanent time, provided that no such permit shall be revoked or suspended without giving the permittee the opportunity to show cause before the governing body why such action should not be taken. An alarm owner shall not be charged with a false alarm, provided that such owner makes immediate proper notification in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Chief of Police.
[Amended 10-20-1986 by Ord. No. 86-16[1]]
D.
Any unauthorized equipment may be disconnected by the Chief of Police
or his designated representative for noncompliance with this chapter,
and any person installing or maintaining unauthorized equipment shall
be prosecuted for violation of this chapter. Acceptance of the permit
shall be deemed as consent to inspection of the premises on which
said alarm devices are installed at reasonable hours by the Chief
of Police and/or Fire Chief or their designated representative.
E.
The owner, operator or maintainer of any alarm device which has sounded
out loud for a continuous period in excess of 30 minutes, despite
attempts to silence said alarm, shall be deemed to have authorized
the Police Department or Fire Department of the Borough of Wood-Ridge
to take such steps as may be necessary in the interests of the health,
safety and welfare of the community and/or the owners and/or operators
of said equipment to silence said alarm at no cost and no liability
to the Borough, its agents and/or public officials.
F.
After any alarm or signal is received by the Wood-Ridge Police Department
caused by mechanical failure, malfunctioning or improper installation
of the alarm system and related equipment, but not including alarms
created by mechanical failure, malfunctioning or improper installation
of the alarm console at police headquarters, the alarm owner or maintainer
shall, within five days after written notice to do so, have said alarm
system inspected by a recognized alarm service company. The alarm
owner shall complete a written report to the Chief of Police, setting
forth the cause of the malfunction, the corrective action taken and
a statement by the alarm service company that said alarm has been
repaired.
G.
Any person testing an alarm system covered by the provisions of this
chapter shall notify police headquarters immediately prior to and
after the testing is completed. Failure to do so shall constitute
a violation herein and subject an alarm owner or maintainer to such
penalties as set forth in the Code of the Borough of Wood-Ridge.
H.
No dial alarm shall be permitted unless it shall have first been registered with the Chief of Police, as hereinafter required, and approved by the Chief of Police after approval thereof by the New Jersey Bell Telephone Company. All dial alarms shall be coded to dial a separate special number to be provided by the Chief of Police. No dial alarm shall be coded to dial the general police number. If any person has any dial alarm in existence at the time of the effective date of this chapter, it shall be reprogrammed within 30 days of said effective date to comply with this chapter. If any dial alarm hereafter shall be found to be dialing the general police number rather than the special number, the Chief of Police shall send the person in whose name the telephone is listed a written notice requiring compliance with this chapter. If the occupant or telephone subscriber fails to comply within 30 days after service of said notice, said failure shall constitute a violation of this chapter, and the person shall be liable to the penalties as set forth under § 175-10 of this chapter. Each and every day that this chapter is not complied with shall constitute a separate offense. The contents of a dial alarm message shall be clear and intelligible and in the format approved by the Chief of Police. No such message shall be transmitted more than three times as a result of a single stimulus of the mechanism. Messages shall not exceed 15 seconds, and the time gap between each shall not exceed 10 seconds.
The Chief of Police may, from time to time, promulgate rules
and regulations supplementing this chapter in order to provide for
recordkeeping and efficient management of said system; provided, however,
that the governing body must first approve said rules or any changes
thereto.
