[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-1]
This Part shall be known and cited as the "Hatboro False Alarm Ordinance."
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-2]
The purpose of this Part is to regulate and control burglar, hold-up and fire alarm businesses, systems and users. The health, public safety, and welfare of the Borough of Hatboro are placed in jeopardy due to the high number of false alarms that require both manpower and emergency equipment to be unnecessarily utilized. Thus, a need exists to pass reasonable rules and regulations to control and limit the occurrence of false alarms.
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-3]
Any business operated by a person, partnership, corporation, or other business entity for profit which engages in the activity of altering, installing, leasing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, selling, servicing, monitoring, or responding to burglary, hold-up, or fire alarm systems or which causes these activities to take place.
Any bell, horn, siren, or device which is attached to the exterior or interior of a building or vehicle that emits a warning signal audible outside the building designed to attract attention when activated, requiring police or fire department response. As used in this definition an audible alarm shall not include a residential type smoke or heat detector.
Electronically operated instruments 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 police or fire department upon receipt of a stimulus from sensory apparatus that has detected a physical force characteristic of fire or intrusion. Indirect connection shall include answering services and all other persons monitoring and relaying the information to the police or fire department.
Any signal activated by an automatic protection device or an audible alarm or other kind of direct or indirect signal given or caused to be given the police or fire department to which police or firemen respond, which is not the result of a burglary, fire, robbery, or similar emergency.
A device activated either automatically or by manual switch, button or other device designed to alert police to the occurrence of an armed robbery or robbery by force.
Any resident, person, corporation, partnership, institution, or company who has keyed an automatic protection device in the Borough to a designated or direct trunk line.
A resident, person, corporation, partnership, institution, or company which has installed an audible or other alarm system designed to alert police or firemen and require their response.
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-4; as amended by Ord. 907, 9/23/1996, § 13-504]
1.
Within 90 days from the effective date of this Part, every subscriber and user of an alarm device shall register with the Chief of Police on a form provided by the Borough such installation, which shall include the following information:
A.
The name, residence, and telephone number of the user or subscriber.
B.
The address where the device is installed and the telephone number of that address.
C.
The name, address, and telephone number of at least two persons who are authorized to gain entry into the protected premises, and who are available to respond within 30 minutes of notification.
D.
The name, address, and telephone number of the alarm equipment supplier and person responsible for maintenance and repair of the automatic protection device or audible alarm.
2.
All information furnished pursuant to this section shall be kept confidential and shall be for the exclusive use of the Police and Fire Departments.
3.
Each subscriber or user shall enter into an agreement with the Borough to pay the following charges for false or accidental activation of alarms where police or firemen respond. The false alarm charges shall be established from time to time by resolution by Borough Council.
4.
The charges in Subsection 3 are to be assessed for each alarm received or reported within the aforementioned category.
5.
After satisfactory compliance with this section of this Part, the Chief of Police shall issue a permit to the subscriber or user. A permit is required for the use or operation of an alarm system. Use or operation without first obtaining a permit is unlawful. The permit may be revoked by the Chief of Police for noncompliance with any provision of this Part.
6.
Failure of the subscriber and/or user to pay the fee required shall constitute a violation of this Part, subject to the penalties provided in § 13-508.
7.
If, due to weather conditions, electrical failure, or other equipment malfunction, three or more false alarms from unrelated locations are received within 30 minutes of each other, the fee or penalty shall not be assessed nor shall that alarm be counted for enforcement purposes.
8.
It shall be unlawful to activate intentionally a hold-up alarm to summon the police or firemen except for the reporting of the specific occurrence intended by the alarm.
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-5]
1.
The sensory mechanism used in connection with any alarm system must be adjusted to suppress false indications of intrusion so that the device will not be activated by impulses due to pressure changes in water pipes, flashes of light, the rattling or vibrating of doors and windows, the vibrations to the premises caused by passing vehicles, or any other force not related to genuine alarms. All such devices must be maintained by the user or subscriber in good repair to insure maximum reliability of operation.
3.
Automatic dialers, where a recorded voice message is received, shall transmit a message approved by the Chief of Police. Said equipment shall not make more than two telephone calls to the Police Department. The message shall be no longer than 15 seconds in duration, and shall not be repeated more than twice.
4.
The equipment shall not be keyed to the primary telephone lines of the Police Department but shall only be keyed to designated phone numbers.
5.
Audible alarms shall be designed to deactivate after 15 minutes of operation. After 90 days of the effective date of this Part, all audible alarms not in compliance shall be unlawful and must be disconnected.
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-6]
1.
It shall be unlawful for any person operating an alarm business to represent to any customer, user, or subscriber that the Hatboro Borough Police Department or Fire Company endorses, recommends or otherwise approves of his service or equipment. It shall be unlawful to represent that the Police Department or Fire Company furnished the name, address, or any other information to said alarm business or agent thereof.
2.
It shall be unlawful to conduct a test or demonstration of any equipment already installed or being installed without notification to the Police Department or Fire Company as appropriate. No notice is required unless the alarm or signal may cause the response of police or firemen.
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-9]
This Part or any agreement resulting therefrom, shall not constitute acceptance by the Borough of Hatboro of any liability to maintain any equipment, to answer any alarm or any other occurrence in connection therewith.
[Ord. 746, 6/25/1984, § 47-10; as amended by Ord. 806, 2/27/1989, § 1; and by Ord. 907, 9/23/1996, § 13-508]
Failure of any person, resident, corporation, partnership, institution, or company to comply with the provisions of this Part or any section thereof shall constitute an offence punishable by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Failure to pay a false alarm fee shall result in the above penalties in addition to the amount of the fee assessed.