[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Burgettstown as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 8-6-2018 by Ord.
No. 2018-01]
It is the intent of this article to reduce the false alarms
and false notifications to the Police Department and fire company
that emergencies exist or situations exist wherein police or fire
assistance or investigation is required, as they are detrimental to
the welfare and safety of the citizens of Burgettstown Borough and
the members of the actual and/or designated Police Department and
the fire company, and the receipt of said false alarms and notifications
detracts from the efficiency of the Departments in discharging their
responsibilities to the citizens of Burgettstown Borough. It is hereby
declared to be the policy to safeguard and protect the citizens, the
members of the Police Department and the members of all fire companies,
present and future, from such hazards or risks.
A.
Word usage. Words in the singular number include the plural, and
words in the plural number include the singular; the present tense
includes the future; the word "building" shall be deemed to include
the word "structure." An individual shall be deemed to include any
person, group, group of persons and/or partnership or corporation.
B.
ALARMS
FALSE ALARM
FIRE COMPANY
FIRE CHIEF
POLICE DEPARTMENT
Words defined. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following words
shall, for the purposes of this article, have the meanings hereinstated:
Any mechanical, electrical or electronic signal reporting
by means of telephone cables or other means of transmission received
by the Police Department or fire company, or audible alarm which is
heard and/or called in by another, that an emergency exists at the
sounding location. Said alarms shall include but are not limited to
those types installed to indicate robberies, burglaries and fires.
Any report or request for police and/or fire service or assistance
by any means of communication as herein defined wherein the situation,
condition, incident or emergency did not and does not exist.
The Burgettstown Volunteer Fire Company or any other fire
company which may operate in Burgettstown Borough in the future.
The Fire Chief of Burgettstown Volunteer Fire Company or
any other fire chief of any other fire company which may operate in
Burgettstown Borough.
The Burgettstown Borough Police Department and/or any other
lawful police authority appointed by the Council of the Burgettstown
Borough to generally enforce the laws of the commonwealth and the
ordinances and policies of the Burgettstown Borough, Washington County,
Pennsylvania.
The Police Department and the Burgettstown Borough Code Enforcement,
or such other third party as the Borough Council may delegate, shall
have the power and the duty to enforce the provisions of this article
insofar as they relate to any false alarm or request for service or
assistance.
It shall be unlawful for any person or persons, including, but
not limited to an owner or lessee of any building in which a fire,
holdup or burglar alarm has been installed:
A.
To cause, suffer, allow or permit the accidental or purposeful transmission
of a false alarm signal from any public or private place to the Police
Department or fire company.
B.
To cause, suffer, allow or permit to be made any report or request
for police or fire service or assistance by any means of communication
wherein the situation, condition, incident or emergency did not and
does not exist.
C.
To fail to register with the Police Department an alarm system, to
include, but not be limited to, burglary, robbery and fire, within
24 hours Of the installation. Registration is to include the name,
address and telephone number of the subscriber and of the installer
and the name, address and telephone number of at least one person
who has the knowledge and means to reset the alarm.
A.
In the event of a violation of this article, any police officer of
the Police Department may present to the owner, tenant or occupant
a notice indicating the nature of the offense and bearing the statement
that no prosecution shall be instituted for 48 hours hereafter if
during said forty-eight-hour period, the offender shall voluntarily
appear at the office of the Police Department, and voluntarily enter
a plea of guilty and pay a penalty of $25 for the first offense, $50
for the second offense, and $75 for the third offense to the Burgettstown
Borough. In the event such persons fail to comply with such notice,
the offense will thereafter be prosecuted and the penalty collected
in a manner prescribed by existing laws.
B.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of
this article, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a magisterial district judge in the manner provided for the enforcement
of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs
and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment
not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues
or each section of this article which shall be found to have been
violated shall constitute a separate offense.
