[HISTORY: Adopted 5-8-2000 Annual Town Meeting, Art. 34. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BURGLAR ALARM SYSTEM
An assembly of equipment and devices or a single device, such as, but not limited to, a solid-state unit which plugs directly into a one-hundred-ten-volt alternating current line, arranged to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond. Fire alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor temperature, smoke, humidity or any other condition not directly related to the detection of an unauthorized intrusion into a premises or an attempted robbery at a premises are specifically excluded from the provisions of this article. The provisions of § 68-3 of this article shall apply to all users.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation or negligence of the user of an alarm system or his employees or agents or any signal or oral communication transmitted to the Police Department requesting or requiring or resulting in a response on the part of the Police Department when in fact there has been no unauthorized intrusion, robbery or burglary or attempted threat. For the purposes of this definition, activation or alarm systems by acts of God, including but not limited to power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and similar weather or atmospheric disturbances, shall not be deemed to be false alarms.
A. 
Every alarm user shall submit it to the Police Chief the names and telephone numbers of at least two other persons who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an alarm system and who can open the promises wherein the alarm system is installed. It shall be incumbent upon the owner of said premises to immediately notify the Littleton Police Department of any changes in the list of authorized employees so named in the business listing to respond to alarms.
B. 
All alarm systems installed after the effective date of this article which use an audible horn or bell shall be equipped with a device that will shut off such bell or horn within 15 minutes after activation of the alarm system. All existing alarm systems in the Town of Littleton must have a shutoff device installed within six months of passage of this article.
C. 
Any alarm system emitting a continuous and uninterrupted signal for more than 15 minutes which cannot be shut off or otherwise curtailed due to the absence or unavailability of the alarm user or those persons designated by him/her under Subsection A of this section and which disturbs the peace, comfort or repose of a community, a neighborhood or a considerable number of inhabitants of the area where the alarm system is located shall constitute a public nuisance.
D. 
No alarm system which is designated to transmit emergency messages or signals of intrusion to the Police Department will be tested until the Police Dispatcher and the alarm company central call station have been notified.
A. 
The user shall be assessed $50 as a false alarm service fee for each false alarm in excess of three occurring within a calendar year. The Police Chief shall notify the alarm user of each such violation, either by certified mail or by service in hand by a police officer. The user shall submit payment within 15 days of notice of fee assessment to the Town Treasurer/Collector for deposit to the general fund.
B. 
The owner of a system which occasions six or more false alarms within a calendar year, and/or installer who is not in conformance with this article, shall be assessed $75 for each such violation. The owner may be ordered to disconnect and otherwise discontinue the use of the same by the Select Board after a public hearing.
C. 
Any user, owner or installer found to be in violation of any provision of this article for which no other penalty is specified shall be punished by a fine of $20.
D. 
This chapter may be enforced by a police officer by noncriminal civil disposition pursuant to MGL c.40, § 21D.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FALSE ALARM
The activation of a fire, heat or smoke alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, lack of maintenance, improper installation or negligence of the user of the fire alarm system or his employees or agents or any signal or recorded communication designed to transmit either directly or through a third party to the Fire Department requesting, requiring or otherwise resulting in a response of the Fire Department when in fact there is no fire, smoke, heat, fumes, products of combustion or other hazardous condition to which the Fire Department would normally respond. For the purposes of this definition, activation of a fire alarm system by acts of God, including but not limited to power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and similar weather or atmospheric condition, shall not be deemed to be false alarms except in the circumstance that the fire alarm system is designed in such a way as to continue uninterrupted operation in the event of a power outage and that such a system has a failure, malfunction or lack of maintenance that during a power outage transmits an alarm to the Fire Department, as listed above, in the absence of fire, smoke, heat, fumes, products of combustion or hazardous condition. Alarm systems that transmit a specific, distinctly different, signal designed to indicate a system malfunction or other trouble condition indicating a condition other than an alarm as defined above shall not be deemed a false alarm.
FIRE ALARM
An assembly of equipment and devices or a single device such as but not limited to a solid-state unit which plugs into one-hundred-ten-volt alternating current or an assembly or combination of equipment and devices designed to operate on lower voltages to operating separately or as part of an integrated fire alarm system or any combination thereof arranged to detect and signal the presence of a hazardous condition such as smoke, fire, fumes or other products of combustion requiring immediate attention and to which the Fire Department is customarily expected to respond. Burglar alarm systems as listed in Article I are excluded from this provision unless interconnected as part of a combination fire and burglar alarm system.
A. 
The user shall be assessed $50 as a false alarm service fee for each false alarm in excess of three occurring within a calendar year. The Fire Chief shall notify the user, either by certified mail or by service in hand by a Department officer, of the third such violation, and thereafter shall assess a service fee for each false alarm. Said user shall submit payment within 15 days of said notice to the Town Treasurer/Collector for deposit in the general fund.
B. 
Any user, owner or installer found to be in violation of any provision of this article for which no other penalty is specified shall be punished by a fine of $50.
C. 
Any installer, contractor or other person who, while conducting installation, maintenance or repair of a fire alarm system, initiates a false fire alarm without first obtaining a permit, either verbal or in writing, as outlined in the Fire Prevention Code of Massachusetts, from the Town of Littleton Fire Department shall be assessed $150 as a false alarm service fee. Notification and payment shall be consistent with Subsection A of this section.
D. 
This chapter may be enforced by any fire officer or police officer by noncriminal civil disposition pursuant to MGL, c.40, § 21D.