[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Board of the Charter Township
of Huron 3-23-1994 by Ord. No.
94-4 (Part 195 of the 1995 Compilation of Ordinances).
Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 271.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall
apply unless it is apparent from the context that a different meaning
is intended:
An assembly of equipment and devices, or a single device,
such as a solid-state unit, which uses electrical energy to signal
the presence of hazard requiring urgent attention such as a burglar,
robbery, fire, smoke or need for medical assistance within a building,
structure or facility for alerting others to the commission of an
unlawful act or hazard within the building, structure or facility
and to which firefighters, police officers, EMTs or public safety
officers are expected to respond, and which emits a sound or transmits
a signal or message when actuated. "Alarm system" includes, but is
not limited to, the terms "audible alarm system," "automatic holdup
alarm system," "burglar alarm system," "fire alarm system" and "manual
holdup alarm system," as those terms are hereinafter defined. Excluded
from the definitions of alarm system are systems used solely to alert
or signal persons within the premises in which the alarm system is
located.
Any person owning, leasing, occupying or found in charge
of any premises wherein an alarm system is located.
A telephone answering service providing the service of receiving
emergency signals from an alarm system and thereafter relaying the
emergency alarm by voice to the Public Safety Department, Police Department
or Fire Department of the Township.
An alarm system which generates an audible sound on the premises
when it is actuated, which sound can be heard by persons not on the
premises.
An alarm system in which the signal transmission is initiated
by the action of the robber.
An alarm system signaling an entry or an attempted entry
in the area protected by the alarm system.
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure,
malfunction, improper installation or the negligence of the owner
or lessee of an alarm system or his employees or agents. In addition,
the use of an alarm to summon police, fire/rescue or public safely
personnel for reasons other than those listed on alarm system permits
will also be considered a false alarm. False alarm shall not include
alarms caused by electrical interruptions, floods or other natural
disasters.
An alarm system signaling fire and/or smoke in the area protected
by the alarm system and shall include, but not be limited to, all
fire alarms, smoke alarms or sprinkler alarms.
Refers to an alarm system in which the signal transmission
is initiated by the direct action of the person attacked or by an
observer of the attack.
Includes any one or more of the alarm systems described in
this article.
A person who buys or leases or otherwise obtains for use
upon premises within the Township an alarm system or contracts with
or hires an alarm business to monitor or service the alarm system.
A.
The alarm user shall be required to pay to the Township a fee as
prescribed in the Township fee schedule. No alarm user shall be required
to pay said fee on the first occasion of a false alarm during any
one calendar year, but the alarm user thereafter shall be advised
in writing of said false alarm and of the existence of this chapter
by the Huron Township Police Department.[1]
B.
Alarm conditions caused by the following extenuating circumstances,
shall not constitute a false alarm, and no false alarm fee shall be
charged by the Township:
(1)
Alarm system malfunctions, if corrective measures have been instituted
within 96 hours of notification by the Police or Fire Department;
provided, that the alarm user presents documentation to the appropriate
department of repair service having been performed by the alarm company
to remedy a malfunction.
(2)
Storm conditions.
(3)
Alarm conditions being activated by persons working on the alarm
system with prior notification to the Police or Fire Department.
(4)
Alarms activated by disruption or disturbance of telephone or other
communication system.
(5)
In Subsection B(1), (2) and (4) of this section, it shall be the responsibility of the alarm user to notify the police by filling out the alarm notification form and return it to the Police Department within 10 days of receipt of the alarm notification form. Failure to notify the Police Department will result in an automatic billing to the user.
A.
Upon the response of police or fire personnel to an alarm call, a
representative of the appropriate department shall mail an alarm notification
form to the alarm user.
B.
Within 10 days of the date of receipt of the alarm notification form,
the alarm user shall return the completed form to the Police Department.
Failure by the alarm user to return the form shall cause an automatic
billing of the false alarm fee to be sent to the alarm user.
C.
If, upon receiving a false alarm fee notice, the alarm user wishes
to request a waiver of the assessment of the fee due to extenuating
circumstances, he may do so in writing within 10 days of the assessment
date. The notice to the Police Department shall contain documentation
of the extenuating circumstances involved. Within 10 days of the receipt
of the waiver request by the Police Department, the Police Chief or
a designee shall make a determination of the waiver request and shall
notify the alarm user of the decision.
D.
Failure to respond as required herein, or to pay said fees within
30 days from the billing date, shall constitute grounds to discontinue
police response services. In no event shall a disconnection or refusal
to respond take place prior to 30 days after written notice of disconnection
and refusal to respond is sent by certified mail to the alarm user
by the Huron Township Police Department.
A.
It is the purpose of this section to prevent the disruption and interference
with the telephone communications system(s) by allowing alarm systems
which, when activated, connect with the communications facility of
the police by means of the department's telephone system.
B.
No person engaged in the business of providing such services and
facilities shall use or operate, attempt to use or operate or cause
to be used or operated, or arrange, adjust, program or otherwise provide
or install any device or combination of devices that will, upon activation,
either mechanically, electronically or by other automatic means initiate
the intrastate calling, dialing or connection to any telephone number
assigned to any subscriber by a public telephone company, without
proper written consent of such subscriber.
Alarm systems employing audible signals (commonly referred to
as "local alarms") shall be equipped with shutoff devices that automatically
silence the audible signal after 15 minutes.
Any person, corporation, partnership or any other legal entity
who shall violate or fail to comply with any of the provisions of
this chapter or any of the regulations adopted pursuant thereto, shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, may be fined
not more than $500 or imprisoned not more than 90 days, or both, in
the discretion of the court.
