[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of Doylestown 10-18-2016 by Ord. No. 377.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 94.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 54,
Alarm Systems, adopted 1-24-1989 by Ord. No. 179, as amended.
This chapter shall be known as the "Doylestown Township Alarm
Ordinance".
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words shall have
the definitions as hereinafter set forth:
A communication to a public safety agency indicating that
a crime, fire, or other emergency has occurred or is occurring in
Doylestown Township, warranting immediate action by a public safety
agency.
Any individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal
entity who sells, leases, maintains, services, repairs, alters, replaces,
moves, or installs any alarm system or causes any alarm system to
be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced,
moved, or installed in or on any building, structure, or any other
facility within Doylestown Township.
Any assembly of equipment, mechanical, electrical, or battery
operated, arranged to signal the occurrence of a police, fire, hazard,
or medical emergency in Doylestown Township requiring urgent attention
and to which public safety agencies are expected to respond.
Any individual, partnership, unincorporated association,
corporation, trust, or other legally recognized entity in control
of any premises which utilizes any alarm system which directly or
indirectly notifies any public safety agency that an immediate response
is warranted.
Any device, bell, horn, or siren, which is attached to the
interior or exterior of a building, structure, or facility that emits
a warning signal audible outside a building, structure, or facility
and is designed to attract attention when activated, which said activation
requires emergency response from police, fire, hazard, or medical
emergency responders.
A situation requiring immediate response by police, fire,
hazard, or medical professionals.
The activation of an alarm system to which a public safety
agency responds when a crime, fire, or other emergency has not occurred.
A written license granted to an alarm supplier by Doylestown
Township upon compliance with this chapter, any rules and regulations
adopted thereto, and the payment of any required fee.
A written permit granted to an alarm user by Doylestown Township
after compliance with the terms and conditions of this chapter and
any regulations adopted in furtherance thereof and upon payment of
the required fee.
The area police departments, fire departments, and emergency
medical agencies.
Telephone line leading into the communication centers of
the police, fire, or other emergency service, which is for the purpose
of handling calls on a person-to-person basis, and which is identified
by a specific listing among the White Pages in the telephone directory
issued by a telephone company(ies), online, or on a website.
On or after the effective date of this chapter, owners or users
of audible alarms must equip such audible alarms with timing mechanisms
that will disengage the audible alarms after a maximum of 15 minutes
of sound. Audible alarms without such timing device shall be unlawful
in the Township and must be disconnected by the owner or user on or
before April 1, 2017.
On and after the effective date of this chapter, all automatic
dialing services that transmit recorded messages directly to the Police
or Fire Department shall be keyed to the County Department of Communication
radio room (telephone line separate and distinct from the trunk lines
for the communications center).
A.
A battery-powered (9 volts, 11.2 volts, or similar voltage) audible
alarm system or an electrically energized audible alarm system whose
sole purpose is to notify the occupants of that location of an emergency
situation shall be exempt from the license requirements of this chapter
if all of the following conditions exist:
(1)
The alarm is not connected to any mechanical or electrical device
that automatically notifies a person or agency outside that location
that the alarm system is activated.
(2)
The audible alarm does not sound outside the location (no external
speakers).
(3)
The internal signal emitted by the audible alarm does not exceed
90 decibels.
(4)
The internal alarm does not cause undue annoyance or alarm to occupants
of adjoining premises.
B.
Alarm users who are not required to pay a fee or who are exempt from
obtaining an alarm user's license, as above, shall nevertheless
be subject to the penalty provisions prescribed in this chapter.
A.
Owners or lessees of premises equipped with gates, fences, or other
similar apparatus designed to prevent entry which are electronically
controlled from a location, such as a residence or other principal
building, shall ensure access to police, fire department, ambulance,
or rescue company vehicles (hereinafter "emergency vehicles") by means
of the following:
(1)
All electronically activated gates, fences, or other similar apparatus
designed to prevent entry to a residence or principal structure, or
the property on which such residence or principal structure is located,
shall be designed and equipped in a manner such that when an audible
alarm or automatic protection device is activated, the gate, fence,
or other apparatus shall open to allow access to emergency vehicles.
(2)
All electronically activated gates, fences, or other similar apparatus
designed to prevent entry to a residence or principal structure, or
the property on which such residence or principal structure is located,
shall be equipped with an Opticon or compatible preemption system
to activate the apparatus and allow access to emergency vehicles in
the event the audible alarm or automatic protection systems do not
activate.
B.
Electronic control of the gate, fence, or similar apparatus shall
not resume until the alarm or automatic protection device is reset
and the emergency vehicles have cleared the premises.
C.
The requirements, as set forth in this subsection, shall be completed
on or before April 1, 2017.
A.
Any alarm supplier who sells, leases, maintains, services, repairs,
alters, replaces, moves, or installs any alarm system or causes any
alarm system to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered,
replaced, moved, or installed in or on any building, structure, or
any other facility within Doylestown Township on or after the effective
date of this chapter shall furnish to the Chief of Police the following
information on a form to be established by the Doylestown Township
Police Department:
(1)
The name, address, and telephone number of the property owner where
the alarm system is installed;
(2)
The name, address, and telephone number of the persons occupying
or in control of the physical location where the alarm system was
installed;
(3)
The name, address, and telephone number of any person who is authorized
to respond to an emergency at the location where the alarm system
was installed;
(4)
The name, address, and telephone number of any person, firm, or corporation,
other than the alarm supplier who is responsible for maintenance and
repair of the alarm system;
(5)
The type of alarm system that was installed, i.e., holdup, burglary,
fire, or medical alarm; and
(6)
The names of personnel authorized to be in the facility.
B.
Any alarm users whose alarm system devices were installed prior to the effective date of this chapter shall, within 60 days after the enactment of this chapter, supply the Chief of Police with the information specified in Subsection A of this section.
C.
All information furnished pursuant to this section shall be kept
confidential and shall be for the authorized use of the Police Department
only.
A.
Effective January 1, 2017, no one except the alarm supplier holding
a valid license from the Township shall sell, install, or service
any alarm system within the Township.
B.
Application and fees.
(1)
Application for an alarm supplier license shall be made on a form
supplied by the Doylestown Township Police Department.
(2)
The initial application fee shall include the first year's license,
and the alarm supplier shall pay an annual licensing fee in accordance
with the schedule established by the Board of Supervisors of Doylestown
Township by a resolution from time to time.
C.
Conditions of issuance.
(1)
Each alarm supplier that installs one or more alarm systems in the
Township shall make service available on a twenty-four-hour-a-day
basis, seven days a week, to repair such devices and to correct malfunctions
as they occur.
(2)
No corporation, sole proprietor, partner, joint venture, trustee,
executor, administrator, employee, fiduciary, or stockholder with
a 5% or greater interest in a corporation (except a corporation whose
stock is publicly traded and registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or with a state securities commission) applying for a license
shall have been convicted of a felony or pleaded nolo contendere to
a felony charge.
(3)
The applicant shall furnish an insurance certificate annually confirming
that the applicant has in force general liability insurance coverage
in an amount of not less than $300,000 for each occurrence. An applicant
who self-insures such coverage shall furnish evidence of financial
liability.
(4)
An alarm supplier shall demonstrate a working knowledge of alarm
systems and provide letters of recommendation from no less than three
references.
(5)
Each alarm supplier who, after the effective date of this chapter,
sells or leases in the Township an alarm system shall furnish operating
instructions and a manual to the buyer or lessee.
(6)
Alarm suppliers and installers shall furnish, at their own expense,
at or prior to the time of contracting, a copy of this chapter to
owners, lessees, or users of the equipment or services to be supplied.
D.
Exemptions. No alarm supplier's license shall be required where
no alarm license is required; or when the installation of such alarm
systems shall be made personally by the owner or occupant of the premises.
E.
Issuance.
(1)
The Chief of Police or his designee shall issue an alarm suppliers
license to an alarm supplier who shall meet the requirements of this
chapter upon filing of the requisite application and paying the appropriate
fee.
(2)
Each license shall bear the signature of the Chief of Police and
shall be valid for a one-calendar-year period.
F.
Revocation. An alarm supplier license may be revoked or renewal denied
if:
(1)
The license fails to meet the requirements necessary to obtain a
license;
(2)
The license fee is not paid;
(3)
The Chief of Police has reason to believe the licensee's installations
are the cause of false alarms; or
(4)
The licensee fails to provide service or required documentation as
required by this chapter.
A.
No person, other than a licensed alarm user or a person experienced pursuant to § 54-8D, shall install, cause to be installed, or use a new installed or preexisting system without first making application for and obtaining an alarm user's license through the Doylestown Township Police Department.
B.
Application and fees.
(1)
Application for and alarm user license shall be made to the Doylestown
Township Police Department on a form supplied by the Police Department.
(2)
A one-time fee, which shall be fixed by the Board of Supervisors
of Doylestown Township by resolution from time to time, must be submitted
with the alarm user application.
(3)
An alarm user application, fee, and license are required for each
parcel of land within Doylestown Township that uses an alarm system
requiring a license.
(4)
Alarm user's licenses are nontransferable, and a new application
and fee shall be required if the alarm user changes alarm suppliers.
(5)
The alarm user license application shall be on a form prescribed
by the Doylestown Township Police Department and shall include, at
a minimum, the following:
(a)
The name, address, and telephone number of the property owner
where the alarm system is installed;
(b)
The name, address, and telephone number of the persons occupying
or in control of the physical location where the alarm system was
installed;
(c)
The name, address, and telephone number of any person who is
authorized to respond to an emergency at the location where the alarm
system was installed;
(d)
The name, address, and telephone number of any person, firm,
or corporation, other than the alarm supplier, who is responsible
for maintenance and repair of the alarm system;
(e)
The type of alarm system that was installed, i.e, holdup, burglary,
fire, or medical alarm; and
(f)
The names of personnel authorized to be in the facility.
C.
Issuance.
(1)
The Chief of Police or his designee shall issue an alarm users license
to an alarm user who meets the requirements of this chapter upon filing
the requisite application and paying the appropriate fee.
(2)
Each alarm user license shall bear the signature of the Chief of
Police and shall not expire unless a provision elsewhere in this chapter
supersedes this subsection.
D.
Revocation. A license will be revoked for any of the following reasons:
(1)
The licensee fails to meet the requirements necessary to obtain a
license;
(2)
The license fee is not paid;
(3)
The Chief of Police has reason to believe the licensee's installations
are the cause of false alarms;
(4)
The licensee fails to provide service or required documentation as
required by this chapter; or
(5)
The licensee fails to service or have serviced a faulty alarm system
resulting in multiple false alarms requiring an emergency response.
Every alarm supplier selling, leasing, or furnishing to any
alarm user; or an alarm user who privately installs an alarm system
that is located on premises within the Township shall:
A.
Be permitted to install only equipment that is listed by Underwriter's
Laboratories, Inc., as being electronically safe and meeting the Township
requirements for the alarm system. Wiring for the alarm system must
conform with all applicable Township codes. In the case of fire alarms,
the stricter of the National Fire Protection Association standards
or Township regulations shall apply.
B.
Be required to cause each alarm system installed with standby battery
power, which shall automatically and immediately take over in the
event of a power failure.
C.
Be required to install equipment in such a way as to neutralize electrical
surges on the alarm system.
D.
Be required to deactivate any alarm system within a reasonable period
of time when multiple false alarms are received.
A.
The public safety requires that the incidence of false alarms and
malfunctioning automatic dialing devices be kept to a minimum so as
to reduce unnecessary calls to the Police and Fire Departments and
to increase the effectiveness of properly functioning alarm systems.
In order to enforce this and to reduce the incidents of false alarms
and malfunctioning alarm systems, it is necessary that appropriate
Township officials have the right to inspect the installation and
operation of any alarm system installed in the Township.
B.
Application for a permit for the installation of an alarm system
and subsequent installation of such a system pursuant to a permit
issued or the continuance of the use of any alarm system already installed
at the effective date of this chapter shall constitute consent by
the owner or lessee thereof and authorization for the inspection of
any such installation and/or operation by the Chief of Police or his
designee.
C.
All such entries upon the premises where an alarm system is installed
and all such inspection of the installation and operation of alarm
systems shall be at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, except
in emergency situations.
No person shall conduct any test or demonstration of any alarm
system without first notifying the shift supervisor of the Township
police or fire radio network, as applicable.
A.
All information furnished pursuant to this section shall be kept
confidential and shall be for the exclusive use of the police and
fire departments.
B.
Any police officer investigating an alarm activation will leave a
written notice of alarm investigation, including the time and date
of the violation.
C.
Upon receipt of the second false alarm, the Doylestown Township Police
Department will send notice of the false alarm to the alarm user.
The notice shall also be sent by first-class mail to the owner of
the property, stating the time, date, and number of violations received
to date.
D.
Upon receipt of the third false alarm activated within a calendar
year, the Doylestown Township Police Department shall send, by first-class
mail, notice to the alarm user and to the owner of the property, indicating
the time, date, and number of violations received to date, along with
a warning that subsequent false alarms within the calendar year may
result in penalties or prosecution under applicable state law.
E.
Upon receipt of the fourth or more false alarms within a calendar
year, the Doylestown Township Police Department shall send notice
to the alarm user by certified mail, including a penalty which shall
be fixed by the Board of Supervisors of Doylestown Township by resolution
from time to time, a copy of which will also be sent to the property
owner. Any penalties to be imposed shall be imposed upon the alarm
user.
A.
A violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute a summary
offense punishable by a fine, following the conviction for the same,
not to exceed $1,000 plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of
payment of such fine and costs, imprisonment for a term not exceeding
30 days. Such fine and costs shall be collectible before any district
justice as like fines and penalties are now by law collected. Each
twenty-four-hour period during which a failure to comply has occurred
shall constitute a separate offense.
B.
Any person found guilty of willful misuse or willful false activation of an alarm system shall be liable for a fine as provided in Subsection A above for each and every such activation. Such fine and costs shall be collectible before any district justice as like fines and penalties are now by law collectible. The same shall constitute a summary offense.
