[Ord. No. 09-12 § 1]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations
for various types of intrusion, burglar, hold-up, or other type of
emergency alarm device designed to summon the Police Department to
any location within the Borough of Bound Brook.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 2]
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person or
legal entity, which operates, maintains or owns any alarm device or
local alarm designed to summons the Police Department to any location
in response to any type of alarm signal.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 3]
Any business, operated by a person for a profit, which engages
in the activity of altering, installing, leasing, maintaining, repairing,
replacing, selling, servicing, monitoring or responding to a burglar
or hold up alarm system or which causes any of these activities to
take place.
Any type of alarm activating equipment, which provides warning
of intrusion, burglary, hold-up, or like peril.
An assembly of equipment and devices arranged to signal the
presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which the Police
Department is expected to respond. In this chapter, the term "alarm
system" shall include, but not be limited to:
AUTOMATIC HOLD-UP ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system in which a signal transmission is initiated by the action of a robber.
BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system signaling an entry or attempted entry into the area protected by the system.
HOLD-UP ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system signaling a robbery or attempted robbery.
MANUAL HOLD-UP ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system in which the signal transmission is initiated by the direct action of the person attacked or by an observer of an attack.
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or organization of any kind, in possession or control of any
building, structure or facility wherein an alarm device or system
is maintained.
Alarm systems monitored by persons, other than the Police
Department, requiring a response by the Police Department.
For the purposes of this chapter, any alarm or signal activated
or transmitted by inadvertent, negligent, unintentional or intentional
act or omission of a person, caused or transmitted other than by an
intruder, and shall include alarms caused by malfunctioning of the
alarm device or other related equipment. False alarms shall not include:
Activation caused by power or phone line interruptions, when
such interruptions have been reported.
An alarm, which is cancelled by the owner or agent, prior to
the arrival of responding officers.
When the responding officer finds evidence of a criminal offense
or an attempted criminal offense or calamity, such as damage by natural
elements.
Any alarm or device which, when actuated, produces an audible
signal, such as a store burglar alarm actuating bell devices.
And include any natural person, partnership, corporation
or association.
[Ord. No. 09-12, codified
herein, was adopted August 11, 2009; Ord. No. 09-12 § 4]
a.Â
Registration
shall be required for each alarm system within the Borough of Bound
Brook on the effective date of this chapter. Users of alarm systems
in place on that date shall complete the registration form within
30 days after this chapter takes effect.
b.Â
Any
person utilizing an alarm system shall complete and file with the
Police Department a registration form, which may be obtained from
the Police Department, correctly containing the following information:
1.Â
Full name of applicant and address.
2.Â
Common name of alarm premises.
3.Â
Name and address of person installing, maintaining and/or owning
the system.
4.Â
Description of the systems operation, including, not by way of limitation,
activation points of the system and the mechanism or mechanisms by
which the system becomes activated.
5.Â
Name, address and telephone number of person or business entity monitoring
and initially responding to an activation of the alarm system.
6.Â
Names, addresses and telephone numbers of three responsible persons
to be contacted in case of alarm and/or malfunction, commonly referred
to as "key holders."
7.Â
Any additional relevant information specifically requested by the
Chief of Police.
c.Â
A
fee of $15 shall be due payable to the Borough Clerk for each alarm
registered.
d.Â
If
there has occurred any material change in the information previously
submitted with respect to any alarm system by the alarm user, it shall
be the duty of the alarm user, within 10 days of such material change,
to file a supplemental or revised registration containing accurate
current information.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 5]
a.Â
All
alarm systems in commercial buildings shall be equipped with batteries
in case of a power failure.
b.Â
Every
burglar alarm must be provided with a device, which will automatically
set or shut off the alarm after 15 minutes from the time of the activation.
c.Â
Every
burglar alarm system in a private dwelling unit shall be equipped
with a time delay of at least 20 seconds in the event that the system
were to be accidentally activated.
d.Â
Since
the alarm system is tied into, monitored by, responded to and/or serviced
by a central station, upon activation of said alarm systems, the central
station shall attempt to verify the validity of the alarm prior to
notifying the Police Department of the same.
e.Â
No
police officer shall be responsible in any way for the resetting or
maintenance of any alarm system.
f.Â
A
new homeowner, occupant or user possessing or using an alarm system
shall be responsible for notifying the Police Department and completing
the application form relative to the alarm system within 30 days of
his, her or its purchase and/or transfer of title of the property.
g.Â
The
acceptance of any registration form by the Borough does not constitute
the Borough's acceptance or approval of the alarm system involved
and shall in no manner place upon the Police Department, Borough of
Bound Brook, or any other agency or employee of the Borough any additional
liabilities other than those statutorily incurred.
h.Â
The
provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any alarm system installed
on property occupied by any Borough, County, State or Federal government
agency or office.
i.Â
It
shall be the responsibility of each and every alarm user to complete
the registration form in detail and it shall be the alarm user's
responsibility to obtain the necessary information in order to satisfactorily
and substantively provide the information required.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 6]
a.Â
No
person shall install an alarm system or use or possess an operative
alarm system without compliance with the registration section of this
chapter.
b.Â
No
person owning, using or possessing an alarm system shall cause or
permit the giving of repeated false alarms, whether intentional, accidental
or otherwise.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 7]
Any person testing an alarm system covered by the provisions
of this chapter shall notify Police Headquarters immediately prior
to and immediately after the testing is completed. Failure to do so
shall constitute a violation of this chapter and subject such person
to a fine of $50. In addition, such failure shall constitute a false
alarm within the meaning of this chapter.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 8]
In the case of false alarms which summon the Police Department
to investigate, the Chief of Police or his designee, shall cause an
investigation to be made and shall keep a record of such false alarms
on file. Such records shall be prima facie evidence of the contents
thereof.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 9]
Any alarm user who shall fail to respond to the premises, when
notified by the Police Department of the fact of any alarm, either
in person or by designated and authorized agent, shall be in violation
of this chapter. Failure to respond shall be deemed to constitute
an additional false alarm, resulting in the payment of an additional
fine. Notification shall be deemed to be complete when made by the
Police Department, whether by telephone or other means, to the alarm
user or any person answering any telephone or at any address designated
by the alarm user for notification in case of emergency.
[Ord. No. 09-12 § 10]
a.Â
Any alarm user who fails to register an alarm system as required
in this chapter is subject to a fine of $50.
1.Â
After the third false alarm, within a calendar year, a written warning
will be sent to the alarm user outlining the provisions of this subsection.
2.Â
After the fourth false alarm, within a calendar year, a summons will
be issued. A fine of $50 will be assessed plus court costs.
3.Â
After the fifth false alarm, within a calendar year, a summons will
be issued. A fine of $150 will be assessed plus court costs.
4.Â
For each false alarm, subsequent to the fifth false alarm within
a calendar year, a summons will be issued. A fine, not to exceed $1,000
plus court costs, will be assessed.