70.1.1. 
As used in this ordinance, certain terms are defined as follows:
70.1.2. 
ALARM SYSTEM — Any device designed for the detection of an unauthorized entry on the premises, unlawful act or any emergency that alerts the Bethel Park Police Department of its commission or occurrence and, when actuated, gives a signal, either visual, audible or both, or transmits or causes to be transmitted a signal.
70.1.3. 
FALSE ALARM — Any alarm signal that alerts the Bethel Park Police Department which is not the result of an actual or threatened emergency requiring its immediate response. False alarms include negligently or accidentally activated signals; signals which are the result of faulty, malfunctioning or improperly installed or maintained equipment; signals which are purposely activated to summon police or emergency services in nonemergency situations and alarm signals for which the actual cause is not determined.
70.1.4. 
LOCAL ALARM — A system that gives a signal, either visual, audible or both, on the exterior portion of the property, but such signal does not leave that structure by wire or radio wave to a control receiving location.
70.2.1. 
No person shall install, have installed, own, use or possess an operative alarm system without obtaining a permit from the Chief of Police.
70.3.1. 
No person owning, using or possessing an alarm system shall cause or permit the giving of repeated false alarms, whether intentional, accident or otherwise.
70.4.1. 
The Chief of Police may revoke or suspend any permit issued pursuant to this chapter if he determines:
1. 
The application for the permit contains a statement of material fact which is false.
2. 
The licensee has failed to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
70.5.1. 
The fee for an alarm system license shall be $15 for residential properties for each one-year period and $15 for commercial properties. The Chief of Police shall have the authority to determine residential and commercial properties.
70.6.1. 
Any alarm system which has more than three false alarms within a calendar year, the permit holder of that alarm shall pay to the Municipality of Bethel Park $15 for each occurrence thereafter.
70.6.2. 
The Police Department shall collect information on the manufacture, installation and maintenance of any burglar alarm system from which a false alarm has originated.
70.7.1. 
The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable, and if any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not effect the validity of the remaining sections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance, but they shall stand notwithstanding the invalidity of any part.
70.8.1. 
All ordinances or parts of ordinances conflicting with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
[Adopted 12-14-1998 by Ord. No. 12-14-98D[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Article II, Monitoring Systems, adopted 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 9-14-98D.
The following terms, when used in this ordinance, shall have the following meanings:
70.9.1. 
ALARM AGENT — Any firm, corporation, partnership or person who or which is employed by any business, firm, partnership, corporation or other commercial entity which conducts the business of owning, operating, maintaining, installing, leasing or selling automatic protection devices and whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing in or on any building, residential dwelling, place or premises any automatic protection device, as defined within this ordinance, within the municipality.
70.9.2. 
ALARM COMPANY — The principal of any alarm agent, including, but not limited to, any business, firm, corporation, partnership, parent, subsidiary or other commercial entity that engages in the business, either through alarm agents or directly, of owning, operating, maintaining, installing, leasing or selling automatic protection devices.
70.9.3. 
AUTOMATIC PROTECTION DEVICE [hereinafter "APD"] — Any electrically operated instrument composed of sensory apparatus and related hardware which automatically transmits a prerecorded voice or other alarm signal over regular telephone lines, by direct or indirect connection to the communication center, upon receipt of a stimulus from a sensory apparatus that has detected a physical force or condition inherently characteristic of a fire or intrusion or other emergency.
70.9.4. 
CENTRAL STATION PROTECTIVE SYSTEM — Any protective system or group of such systems operated privately for customers by an alarm agent or principal of such alarm agent; which maintains staff and supervisors and receives and accepts recorded messages from APD's at a central station having trained operators and guards in attendance at all times who have the duty to take appropriate action upon receipt of a signal, message or alarm, including relaying such messages to the communications center for response by the police officers of the municipality's Police Department.
70.9.5. 
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER — The communication room in the municipality's Police Department and other rooms which house auxiliary communications equipment.
70.9.6. 
COMMUNICATIONS CENTER PROTECTIVE SYSTEM — Any protective system or group of protective systems operated privately by customers by an alarm agent or principal of such alarm agent which directly terminates in the communications center of the Police Department of the Municipality of Bethel Park and does not first terminate in a central station privately owned and operated by an alarm agent or principal of such alarm agent.
70.9.7. 
POLICE DEPARTMENT — The Police Department of the Municipality of Bethel Park.
70.9.8. 
SUBSCRIBER — A person who has an APD or other electronic fire and intruder alarm device installed on realty in which that person has an interest.
70.10.1. 
Fees assessed. From the effective date of this ordinance hence, the alarm agent, the principal of such alarm agent or the alarm company, as the case may be, shall pay an annual monitoring fee to the Municipality of Bethel Park for those APD's or alarms that are installed in the municipality's communications center and, as such, are within the definition of a communications center protective system as that term is defined in this ordinance.
70.10.2. 
Amount of alarm monitoring fee. Each alarm agent, principal of such agent or alarm company, as more fully described and set forth in Exhibit A[1] attached hereto, shall pay an annual monitoring fee to the Municipality of Bethel Park in the amount of $35.
[1]
Editor's Note: Exhibit A is on file in the municipal offices and may be examined there during regular office hours.
70.10.3. 
Payment of fees. Each alarm agent, principal of such agent or alarm company, as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, shall pay an annual monitoring fee for each APD set forth in Exhibit A for which each such alarm agent, principal of such agent or alarm company is or was responsible for the sale, lease, installation, maintenance or servicing of such APD or alarm and currently charges and collects a monitoring fee. The alarm agent or principal of such agent, as identified in Exhibit A shall pay such fee to the Municipality of Bethel Park within 30 days of the effective date of this ordinance and then annually thereafter.
70.10.4. 
Alarms installed after effective date. Alarms or APD's installed in commercial or residential buildings or on premises situated in the municipality after the effective date of this ordinance that will terminate directly in the municipality's communications center shall pay the annual monitoring fee set forth in Section 70.10.2 of this ordinance upon installation of such alarm or APD and payments for monitoring fees in subsequent years shall be paid on the same date as those fees assessed and collected pursuant to Section 70.10.3 of this ordinance.
70.10.5. 
Exemptions. Alarm agents, their principals and alarm companies shall be exempt from paying monitoring fees for APD's terminating in the communications center and which APD's are installed in buildings or on premises owned or leased by the municipality, the Bethel Park School District or the municipality's Fire Department.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances conflicting with the provisions of this ordinance are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
This ordinance shall be effective immediately.
The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable, and if any section, clause or phrase of this ordinance shall for any reason be held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining sections, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance, but they shall stand notwithstanding such other invalid section, clause, phrase or sentence.