[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Raritan 10-11-2000 by Ord. No.
00-27 (Ch. 8.04 of the 2000 Code). Amendments noted
where applicable.]
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
The purpose of this chapter is to regulate and control the installation,
operation and maintenance of private alarm systems within the Township
in order to insure that the quality of alarm responses rendered to
the public will be maintained at a high level, to eliminate potential
harm resulting in responses to false alarms, and to alleviate conditions
otherwise leading to unnecessary drain on the manpower, time, space,
facilities, and finances of the Township and its Police and Fire Departments.
A.
The purpose
of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations for various
types of intrusion, burglary, fire and other emergency alarm equipment
which produce a visual or audible signal or function by direct line,
radio, telephone or by any other means requiring a response by the
Police Department, Fire Department or other municipal agencies.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
B.
The provisions
of this chapter shall apply to alarm businesses and to any person
who operates, maintains or owns any alarm device, dial alarm, or local
alarm designed to produce a visual or audible signal of an emergency
and designed to summon or alert, directly or through others, the police,
fire service, or other municipal agencies in response to any type
of alarm signal.
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation
and enforcement of this chapter unless otherwise specifically stated:
Any business operated by a person, partnership, corporation
or other individual or entity, which engages in the activity of altering,
installing, leasing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, selling, servicing
or responding to a fire or burglar alarm systems(s) or which causes
any of these activities to take place. Excluded from this definition,
however, are retail establishments which sell alarm systems over the
counter and do not service same.
Any type of alarm-activating equipment which provides warning
of burglary, intrusion, fire, flood or like peril.
Equipment or a device, or an assembly of equipment and devices
to signal the presence of an emergency or hazard requiring urgent
attention and to which the Police Department, Fire Department or other
municipal agencies may be expected to respond.
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or organization or entity of any kind in control of any building,
structure or facility wherein an alarm device or system is maintained,
and including but not limited to owners, tenants, subtenants or otherwise.
The Chief of Police of the Township or his or her designated
representative.
The designated representative of the Chief of Police or the
Fire Marshal who performs a function required or permitted by this
chapter under the supervision of the Chief of Police or the Fire Marshal.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
Any type of alarm system using telephone lines, transmitting
an alarm directly through the communications switchboard, answering
service, or alarm company console, providing warning of intrusion,
fire or other peril.
Any alarm or signal of an alarm actuated by inadvertence,
negligence, intentional or unintentional act of a person, domestic
animal and/or household pet other than an intruder, and including
alarms caused by mechanical failure, malfunction or improper installation
of the alarm system and related equipment. It shall further include
improper adjustment (sensitivity) to suppress false indications due
to short flashes of light, wind, noises, rattling or vibrations of
doors or other forces.
Includes the following:
The fire company designated as the primary agency providing
fire protection and suppression to the Township.
[Added 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
The Chief Fire Marshal of the Township or his or her designated
representative.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
Authorized fire companies providing fire protection and suppression
to the Township.
A device having an audible alarm indicating smoke and/or
having an audible alarm indicating smoke and/or fire within a structure
and not connected to an alarm system or to any external sounding device
outside of the structure.
The person who holds the license to install, operate and
maintain the alarm/alarm console pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter.
Any alarm system which, when activated, produces a signal
not connected to an alarm console or the communication switchboard,
including, but not limited to, business burglar alarms actuating bell
or other sound generating devices and/or light emitting devices providing
warning of intrusion or other peril. The term "local alarm" shall
not include an alarm system solely connected to a registered motor
vehicle, nor shall the term include equipment designed to signal solely
within a building or series of buildings and which does not emit signals,
visible or audible, to persons outside such building or buildings,
i.e., independent smoke detector.
Any person who owns an alarm device who has obtained a permit
according to the provisions of this chapter. All permits shall be
issued and fees paid therefore on a one-time basis.
Any natural person or individual, or any firm, partnership,
association, limited partnership, sole proprietorship, corporation
or any other business entity.
Notice by certified mail, return receipt requested.
A.
No person shall install, operate
or maintain any alarm system unless the alarm system has been registered
with the Township Police Department. The Police Department shall provide
a copy of all approved registration forms to the Township Fire Marshal.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
B.
An alarm system shall be deemed
registered at such time as a registration form supplied by the Police
Department is completed as to all information requested therein. Among
the information to be provided on the registration form is the following:
(1)
The
name, address and telephone number of the owner or tenant or occupier
of the property, if other than the owner, upon which the alarm system
is installed.
(2)
The
name, address and telephone number of the installer of the system.
(3)
The
type of system.
(4)
A list
of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the person(s) to
be contacted in the event of an alarm or in an emergency situation
determined by the Police or Fire Department.
(5)
The
name, address and twenty-four-hour telephone number of the person
or company maintaining the alarm system.
C.
No further renewal registration
shall be required unless and until there has occurred any material
change in the information previously submitted with respect to any
alarm system, in which event it shall be the duty of the owner and
user of the alarm system, within 10 days of such material change,
to file a supplemental or revised registration containing accurate,
current information.
D.
A one-time fee in the amount as provided in Chapter 245, Fees, § 245-4, shall accompany each registration. Upon change or reregistration for new owners or users, there shall be a fee as provided in Chapter 245, Fees, § 245-4. Upon payment of the fee and filing of the registration, two decals will be issued. The decals will be placed in plain view, near the front/main entrance and rear/secondary entrance of the premises.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. II)]
E.
All preexisting alarm systems
shall comply with the requirements of this section within 60 days
of the date of the final adoption of the ordinance codified in this
chapter.
F.
Excluded from this provision are
independent smoke detectors that do not emit an audible or visible
signal outside of the structure.
A.
Each alarm system as defined in
this chapter and installed after the effective date of this chapter
shall utilize discrete circuitry for multipurpose alarm systems to
insure appropriate emergency response.
B.
Any alarm system which requires
for its operation electricity supplied by a public utility may be
equipped with a battery rendering it operable in the event of a power
outage if so desired by the property owner. Such a battery backup
shall be required for any alarm system which will trigger itself automatically
in the event of a power outage.
C.
Every alarm system must be provided
with a device which will shut off the alarm after 10 minutes of activation.
D.
Every burglar alarm system shall
be equipped with a time delay of at least 15 seconds which may include
an audible signal of the same length of time, said time delay to be
designed to prevent accidental activation of the system. The 15 second
audible signal, if utilized, shall be audible only within the structure
and not externally.
E.
No alarm system may be connected,
directly or indirectly, to the Police or Fire Departments.
F.
No person shall install, cause
to be installed, or permit to be installed any alarm device, by whatever
name known, which automatically selects a telephone line dedicated
to the Police or Fire Department for the purpose of playing a recorded
message to report any emergency. All alarm systems shall be programmed
to dial Hunterdon County communications at 908-782-0911.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
G.
All dial alarms shall be capable
of being disconnected to allow a call to Police Headquarters or Hunterdon
County communications in the event of a false alarm.
H.
No Police, Fire or other public
department or official shall be responsible in any way for the resetting
or maintenance of any alarm system.
I.
No alarm business or person owning,
using or possessing an alarm system shall cause or permit the giving
of repeated false alarms, for test purposes or otherwise, whether
intentional, accidental or otherwise. Owners/operators of such alarms
shall be governed by the false alarm procedures and penalties set
forth in this chapter.
J.
If any person has any dial alarm
connected at the time of the effective date of this chapter, it shall
be reprogrammed within 30 days of said effective date to comply with
this chapter.
K.
The contents of a dial alarm message
shall be clear and intelligible and in the format approved by the
Chief of Police or Fire Official. No such message shall be transmitted
more than two times as a result of a single stimulus of the mechanism.
Messages shall not exceed 15 seconds and the time gap between each
shall not exceed 10 seconds.
L.
The sensory mechanism of dial
alarms shall be adjusted so as to suppress false indications and not
be actuated by impulses due to short flashes of light, wind, noises,
rattling or vibration of doors or other forces unrelated to general
alarms.
M.
Permits for local alarm systems
shall not be issued with respect to buildings which are not owner-occupied,
prior to receipt by the Chief of Police of satisfactory proof that
the occupant of the building has been notified of the existence of
such alarm system, or of the intent to install a local alarm system
and the provisions of this chapter.
N.
By installing an alarm system
and registering same with the Township, each permittee agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Township and the Fire Department of Raritan
Township and mutual aid departments, their agents, servants and employees
from and against any and all claims, suits, damages, costs, losses
and expenses, and to release the Township, the Fire Department of
Raritan Township and mutual aid departments, their agents, servants
and employees from any and all liability or damages in any way resulting
from or arising out of or connected with the installation, operation
or maintenance of the alarm system or any act or omission connected
therewith.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
O.
Any alarm business and/or property
owner having knowledge of the sale or change of tenants in a property
shall be responsible for notifying the Police Department when one
of its customers possessing an alarm system sells the property or
changes tenants. The alarm business shall notify the Police Department
of the name of the new owner or tenant and whether or not the new
owner or tenant is continuing with an alarm device or system within
the property.
All information submitted in compliance with this chapter shall
be held in the strictest confidence and shall be deemed a record exempt
from public disclosure pursuant to state statute. Any violation of
confidentiality shall be deemed a violation of this chapter.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
A.
Any person who fails to register
an alarm system as required by the provisions of this chapter is subject
to a minimum fine of $250 and maximum fine of $1,000 for each and
every violation.
B.
Any owner, user or alarm business
who installs such a system that is not in compliance with this chapter
is subject to a fine of $500 and may be required to remove such an
alarm system.
[Amended 11-18-2020 by Ord. No. 20-30; 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
A.
In the case of each false alarm
which summons the Police or Fire Department to respond, the Police
Chief or Fire Marshal, as appropriate, shall cause an investigation
to be made and shall keep a record of such false alarms on file.
B.
In the event of the occurrence
of three false alarms within a twelve-month period, the permittee
shall, within three days after written notice to do so from the Chief
of Police or Fire Marshal, complete a written report setting forth
the cause or causes of the false alarms, the corrective action taken
and a statement as to whether the alarm system has been inspected
and/or serviced by an alarm service company, and such other information
as the Chief of Police or Fire Marshal may reasonably require.
C.
Owners and/or users of alarm systems
shall be subject to the following minimum fine schedule for false
alarms:
|
Number of False Alarms
|
Minimum Fine/Penalty
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Residential
|
Commercial
| |
|
1 to 3
|
Provide written report (as per Subsection B of this section)
| |
|
4
|
$50
|
$100
|
|
5 to 10
|
$100 per occurrence
|
$200 per occurrence
|
|
11 or more
|
$500 per occurrence
|
$1,000 per occurrence
|
|
Additionally, owners and/or users of alarm systems shall be
responsible for the reimbursement of manpower and equipment per the
municipal reimbursement rate schedule.
The calculation of the number of false alarms shall be without
regard to whether the false alarms involved intrusion alarms or fire
alarms.
|
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
Any person who intentionally causes the giving of false alarm
shall be in violation of this chapter and subject to a penalty of
not less than $500 and not more than $5,000 and/or imprisonment for
any term not to exceed 90 days, and/or by a period of community service
not to exceed 90 days, for each such offense.
Any person testing an alarm system covered by the provisions
of this chapter shall notify the Police Department and Hunterdon County
communications 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 the penalties set forth in this
chapter.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
The Chief of Police and Fire Marshal shall cooperate in all
respects in connection with the administration of this chapter and
the forms, permits, decals, records and other documents used by the
Chief of Police.
The Chief of Police may from time to time promulgate rules and
regulations in furtherance of the administration of this chapter which
shall be enforced through the Police Department. Such rules and regulations
shall become effective upon approval by resolution of the Township
Committee.
The Township Chief of Police is designated as officer in charge of the enforcement of this chapter. The governing body may designate such assistant enforcement officers for purposes of the enforcement of this chapter as are needed for such purposes. The enforcement officer shall have the authority to use the services of the Police Department or any public authority to enforce the chapter. Any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall be subject, upon conviction thereof, to the penalties as provided in this chapter and in § 1-5, General penalty.
[Added 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
A.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to general alerting
alarms that may be used by fire companies, ambulance squads or civil
defense agencies to summon its members. Moreover, the provisions of
this chapter do not apply to alarm systems affixed to motor vehicles.
B.
Any owner or user of an alarm system who accidentally activates his
or her burglar alarm and properly notifies the Police Department within
three minutes after activation will not be charged with a false alarm.
C.
This grace period shall not apply to false fire alarms.
