[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]
ALARM BUSINESS
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.
ALARM DEVICE
Any type of alarm activating equipment, which provides warning of intrusion, burglary, hold-up, or like peril.
ALARM SYSTEM
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:
a. 
AUTOMATIC HOLD-UP ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system in which a signal transmission is initiated by the action of a robber.
b. 
BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system signaling an entry or attempted entry into the area protected by the system.
c. 
HOLD-UP ALARM SYSTEMAn alarm system signaling a robbery or attempted robbery.
d. 
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.
ALARM USER
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.
CENTRAL STATION ALARMS
Alarm systems monitored by persons, other than the Police Department, requiring a response by the Police Department.
FALSE ALARM
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:
a. 
Activation caused by power or phone line interruptions, when such interruptions have been reported.
b. 
An alarm, which is cancelled by the owner or agent, prior to the arrival of responding officers.
c. 
When the responding officer finds evidence of a criminal offense or an attempted criminal offense or calamity, such as damage by natural elements.
LOCAL ALARM
Any alarm or device which, when actuated, produces an audible signal, such as a store burglar alarm actuating bell devices.
PERSON
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. 
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. 
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. 
Full name of applicant and address.
2. 
Common name of alarm premises.
3. 
Name and address of person installing, maintaining and/or owning the system.
4. 
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. 
Name, address and telephone number of person or business entity monitoring and initially responding to an activation of the alarm system.
6. 
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. 
Any additional relevant information specifically requested by the Chief of Police.
c. 
A fee of $15 shall be due payable to the Borough Clerk for each alarm registered.
d. 
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. 
All alarm systems in commercial buildings shall be equipped with batteries in case of a power failure.
b. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
No police officer shall be responsible in any way for the resetting or maintenance of any alarm system.
f. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
Any alarm user who fails to register an alarm system as required in this chapter is subject to a fine of $50.
1. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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.