[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Plympton as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-17-2020 ATM by Art. 27]
As used in this bylaw, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm which results in the Fire Department responding where no actual fire is occurring or has occurred. A false alarm does not include alarms caused by hurricanes, surges or failures in the transmission of electrical power or other conditions that are beyond the control of the user, or smoke caused by cooking, fireplace and stove use where no damage occurs.
The owner of any multi-unit dwelling of four residential units or more, commercial or industrial building, public or private school, or a church shall be subject to a fine of $250 after three fire alarm activations which are deemed to be either false alarms, system malfunctions or alarms activated due to lack of maintenance in any calendar year. The property owner shall be fined for the fourth Fire Department response and each response thereafter until the end of the calendar year. Said fine shall be collected and deposited to the Fire Department Receipts Reserved Account.
[Adopted 6-17-2020 ATM by Art. 27]
As used in this bylaw, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FALSE ALARM
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 purpose of this definition, activation of 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 a false alarm.
The owner of a dwelling house which is equipped with a burglar alarm system shall be required to provide the Police Department with alternate phone numbers, to include work and cellular phone numbers, if applicable, for the purpose of contacting the owner in the event of an alarm activation at the dwelling while the owner is away. Additionally, the owner of a dwelling and the owners of any businesses equipped with an alarm system shall provide the names and phone numbers of a minimum of two persons who have access to the residence or business and have the ability to shut off or reset the alarm system on the demand of the Police Department. In the case of a dwelling house, caretakers should not be a resident of the dwelling house in question. Caretakers shall be available to respond to the dwelling house or business in a reasonable period of time when summoned by the police. The owner of a dwelling house or business which is equipped with a burglar alarm system shall be required to ensure that information provided to the Police Department is up-to-date and accurate. Whoever violates this section by failing to provide the information required shall be subject to a fine of $50.
The Plympton police will respond to all reported burglar alarms. In the event of a false alarm, the Police Department will make a notation in the log. After the police have logged three false alarms in a calendar year at the same location, the owner shall be subject to a fine of $100 for each additional response to a false alarm.