[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 1]
This Part shall be known and may be cited as the "Akron Alarm
Ordinance."
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 2]
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation
and enforcement of this Part:
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity engaged in
the business of selling, leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing,
altering, replacing, moving, or installing any alarm system or causing
it to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced,
moved or installed in or on any building, structure or facility.
A service whereby trained employees, in attendance at all
times, receive prerecorded messages from automatic protection devices
reporting any emergency at a stated location and who have the duty
to relay immediately by live voice any such emergency message by voice
to a communications center.
Any device, bell, horn or siren which is attached to the
interior or exterior of a building and emits a warning signal audible
outside the building and which is designated to attract attention
when activated.
Any mechanical or electrically operated instrument composed
of sensory apparatus and related hardware which is designed or used
for the detection of an unauthorized entry or attempted entry into
a building, structure or facility, or for alerting others of the commission
of an unlawful act within a building, structure or facility, or which
is designed used for the detection of heat, smoke, gases or fire and
which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when activated.
The Borough of Akron, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
A protective system, or group of such systems, operated privately
for customers by a person, firm or corporation which maintains supervisors
and accepts recorded messages from automatic protection devices at
a central station having trained operators and guards in attendance
at all times that have the duty to take appropriate action upon receipt
of a signal or message including the relaying of messages to a communications
center.
The Chief of Police of Akron Borough Police Department, or
designee fulfilling the functions as Chief of Police.
A telephone line leading into the communications center of
the Police or Fire Department that is for the primary purpose of handling
emergency messages which originate from automatic protection devices
and are transmitted directly or indirectly through an intermediary.
Any signal activated by an automatic protection device, any
audible alarm or any other kind of direct or indirect signal given
the Police or Fire Company to which police or firemen respond, which
is not the result of a fire, burglary, robbery or similar emergency.
The Fire Chief of Akron Fire Company No. 1 of Akron Borough,
or the designee fulfilling the functions of Fire Chief.
The Lancaster County communications center servicing the
Fire Department.
Akron Fire Company No. 1.
A "central station protective system" or an "answering service"
as herein defined.
To use a telephone line and equipment for transmitting a
message either directly, or indirectly by an automatic protection
device.
The Manager of Akron Borough, or designee fulfilling the
functions of Manager.
Written permission duly granted to a qualified applicant
by the Borough upon payment of the required fee.
The Police communications room and/or the Lancaster countywide
communications system.
The Akron Borough Police Department and/or the Lancaster
countywide communications system.
A telephone line leading into the police communications center
that is for the purpose of handling emergency calls on a person-to-person
basis, and which line is identified by a specific listing among the
white pages in the telephone directory issued by the Denver and Ephrata
Telephone Company.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 3]
1.
There shall be no automatic protection devices that transmit recorded
messages directly to the Police Department or Fire Department.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 4]
1.
Any person who has an automatic protection device in the Borough
may arrange to have such device keyed to an intermediary authorized
to relay emergency messages to the Police or Fire Company.
2.
The relay of messages by authorized intermediaries shall be over
a designated trunkline.
3.
Automatic protection devices keyed to an authorized intermediary
may also be keyed to another telephone which the owner or lessee of
the automatic protection device has available to himself or his representative
at some other location.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 5; as amended by Ord.
00037, 10/8/2007]
1.
Anytime hereafter that an automatic protection device or audible
alarm is installed, every alarm equipment supplier and every property
owner who intends to install an automatic protection device in the
Borough or who intends to install an audible alarm shall furnish to
the Chief of Police and to the Fire Chief a list of such installations
which shall include:
A.
The telephone number of the owner or lessor.
B.
The address where the device is to be installed and the telephone
number of that address.
C.
The name, address and telephone number of a central station protective
system/or two other persons off premises or a firm who is authorized
to respond to an emergency and able to gain access to the address
where the device is installed and be able to silence any local alarm.
D.
The name and telephone number of any person, firm, or corporation,
if any, who is responsible for maintenance and repair of the automatic
protection device.
E.
The property owner shall pay an initial registration fee in an amount
as established from time to time by resolution of Borough Council.
2.
Within six months from the effective date of this Part every person
who shall possess an active automatic protection device or audible
alarm device in the Borough shall furnish the Chief of Police and
the Fire Chief a list containing the following information:
A.
The telephone number of the owner or lessor.
B.
The address where the device is installed and the telephone number
of that address.
C.
The name, address, and telephone number of a central station protective
system/or two other persons off premises or a firm who is authorized
to respond to an emergency and able to gain access to the address
where the device is installed and be able to silence any local alarm.
D.
The name and telephone number of any person, firm, or corporation,
if any, who is responsible for maintenance and repair of the automatic
protection device.
E.
The property owner shall pay an initial registration fee in an amount
as established from time to time by resolution of Borough Council.
3.
At least five days prior to the installation of an automatic protection
device or audible alarm, all alarm equipment suppliers and property
owners shall also furnish to the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief
the date on which it is proposed that the device be installed.
4.
All information furnished pursuant to these sections shall be kept
confidential and shall be used by the designated personnel of the
Police Department and Fire Company.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 6; as amended by Ord.
00037, 10/8/2007]
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 7]
1.
At the time of installation, an alarm equipment supplier shall furnish
to any buyer or lessee using a repair service written information
as to how service may be obtained, including the telephone number
of the alarm equipment supplier or agent responsible for service.
The buyer or lessee shall be responsible for having the device disconnected
or repaired as quickly as possible after notice that the device is
not functioning properly.
2.
All new automatic protection devices and audible alarms shall be
able to be turned off automatically after 15 minutes. Additionally,
they shall contain at least a two-hour battery back-up. All current
installations shall comply within six months of the enactment of this
Part.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 8]
For the purpose of enforcing this Part and as a condition of
installing and maintaining an automatic protection device or/and audible
alarm, the owner or lessee shall execute a consent in such form as
may be prescribed by the Mayor or Borough Manager which will authorize
the Chief of Police or his designee to enter upon a lessee's
or owner's premises within the Borough of Akron, at such reasonable
times and upon reasonable notice, to inspect the installation and
operation of any automatic protection device or audible alarm.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 9]
No person shall conduct any test or demonstration of an automatic
protection device without first obtaining written permission from
the Police and Fire Departments at least five days in advance.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 10]
1.
Every owner, lessee or user of an automatic protection device or
audible alarm shall be absolutely liable for false alarms produced
by their device regardless of cause or fault.
2.
To defray the cost to the Borough of responding to a false alarm, the user of an automatic protection device, persons using the services of intermediaries, users of audible alarms, and/or users of any other kind of direct or indirect connection with the Police or Fire Departments, except persons using two-way live voice communication by telephone, shall, as a condition to installation and/or continued operation of such equipment or service, execute a consent in such form as may be prescribed by the Mayor or Borough Manager that such owner, lessee, or user shall pay the Borough the sum of $20 for each false alarm over two per calendar month, and additionally the sum of $20 for each false alarm over four per calendar year, which sums or sum shall constitute a civil claim by the Borough, and does not affect the penalty provisions prescribed in § 13-311 hereof. Such consent shall also provide that all costs of collection (including the Borough's attorney's fees) shall be paid by such person.
3.
Any such owner, lessee or user who fails to execute the consent described in Subsection 1, within six months from the effective date of this Part, shall, within that six-month period, disconnect the alarm, automatic protection device or any kind of direct or indirect connection with the police or fire centers and shall discontinue using the services intermediaries.
[Ord. 387, 10/12/1992, § 11]
1.
Failure of any person to comply with any of the requirements this
Part following written notice of a violation of any provision hereof,
within three days of receipt of such notice, exclusive of Saturdays,
Sundays and state holidays, shall constitute an offense, punishable
by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $300, plus costs of prosecution.
Such notice shall continue in force and effect until full compliance
with the requirements stated therein, and each and every failure to
comply with the such notice within 24 hours after the three days allowed
for compliance shall constitute a separate offense.
