[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Washington 10-5-1981 by Ord.
No. 81-16 (Ch. 66 of the 1985 Code). Amendments
noted where applicable.]
As used herein, the following words and phrases shall be defined
as hereinafter indicated:
Console(s) or control panel(s) of device(s) giving a visual
or audio response, or both, and located within the confines of the
police headquarters in the Township of Washington.
Any type of alarm system warning of intrusion, fire, smoke,
flood or other peril, including dial alarms, local alarms, direct
alarms and private agency alarms, as defined in this chapter, excepting,
however, interior smoke alarms not connected to the alarm console
or police switchboard.
[Amended 11-2-1981 by Ord. No. 81-18]
Any alarm, device or combination of devices installed for
one or more buildings at a location other than the alarm console.
A member of the Police Department of the Township of Washington
or an authorized representative of any firm employed by the Township
of Washington for the purpose of installing and maintaining the console.
That type of device using telephone lines transmitting an
alarm directly through the police switchboard.
Any type of device actuating equipment in the alarm console.
Any alarm activated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional
act of someone other than an intruder, and includes as well alarms
caused by malfunctioning of the alarm device or other irrelevant equipment,
but not including alarms created by malfunction of the alarm console.
Any alarm or device which, when activated, produces a signal
not connected to the alarm console, such as a store burglar alarm's
actuating bell or similar device, which purpose is the attracting
of attention to the premises.
Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation, association
or any other legal entity.
Any type of device activating equipment or directing signals
to a private monitoring service.
Any person owning an alarm device or local alarm within the
scope of this chapter.
An individual, company or corporation who has installed an
alarm console in Police Department headquarters.
[Amended 11-2-1981 by Ord. No. 81-18]
Local alarms shall be permitted, but it shall be unlawful for
any local alarm to ring or put forth any other sound for a period
in excess of 15 minutes.
A.
Registration.
(1)
All alarm devices shall be registered by completion of an application form to be furnished by the Police Department, which application shall be accompanied by an annual charge as set forth in Chapter 212, Fees, except that this fee shall be waived when the applicant is a homeowner who is 65 or older.
[Amended 5-17-2004 by Ord. No. 04-6; 4-14-2008 by Ord. No. 08-1; at time of adoption
of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
(2)
After initial registration, each application shall be renewed every June upon payment of the fee as set forth in Chapter 212, Fees, and supplementing the application with new information as may be required, such as: different occupant, different system, etc.
[Amended 5-17-2004 by Ord. No. 04-6; 4-14-2008 by Ord. No. 08-1; at time of adoption
of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
(3)
The registration application shall contain the name and address of
the occupant, type of alarm device, name, address and phone number
of the alarm company, telephone number where and time of day when
occupant may be contacted, two emergency phone numbers and addresses
of the persons to be contacted in the event the occupant is not available.
B.
Dial alarms.
(1)
Dial alarms shall be coded to dial a separate number to be obtained
from the Chief of Police or his designated representative. No dial
alarm shall be coded to dial the number of the general police switchboard
of the Township.
(2)
Dial alarms must be coded to conform to the message format provided
for in the application form.
(3)
The total length of the message may not exceed 15 seconds.
(4)
The message is to be received by the police headquarters on the designated
number twice, but not more than twice.
(5)
Any person having a dial alarm device which calls a general police number, upon discovery thereof, shall receive notice in writing from the Chief of Police requiring the owner to comply with the terms of this chapter, and if that person fails to do so within 10 days, he shall be liable to a penalty as provided in § 1-1 of Chapter 1, General Provisions.
A.
Except as otherwise prescribed in § 233-11, for each false alarm of any kind communicated to the Police Department of the Township of Washington, a record shall be kept by the Police Department, and where it is determined that such false alarm originated at the subscriber's premises, the following procedure shall be adhered to:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. II)]
B.
In the event that the Police Department of the Township of Washington,
through its designated representative, discovers that more than three
false alarms have originated with any subscriber in any twelve-month
period, the Director of the Police Department shall have the right
to require disconnection from the alarm console or of any dial alarm;
provided, however, that no such connection shall be revoked without
subscriber's having an opportunity to show cause before the Business
Administrator why such action should not be taken.
C.
Any person testing any alarm covered under the terms of this chapter
shall notify the police headquarters immediately prior thereto and
after the testing is completed. Failure to do so shall subject the
person to a penalty provided for false alarms.
The Township hereby permits legitimate alarm device vendors
to only connect to alarm console or panels in police headquarters
which shall be supplied by the Township, pursuant to law.
The Director of the Department of Public Safety is hereby authorized
to promulgate such written rules and regulations as are, in his judgment,
necessary to implement the provisions of this chapter.
