[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.
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation
and enforcement of this chapter unless otherwise specifically stated:
ALARM BUSINESS
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.
ALARM DEVICE
Any type of alarm-activating equipment which provides warning
of burglary, intrusion, fire, flood or like peril.
ALARM SYSTEM
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.
ALARM USER
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.
CHIEF OF POLICE
The Chief of Police of the Township or his or her designated
representative.
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]
DIAL ALARM
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.
FALSE ALARM
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.
FIRE ALARM EQUIPMENT
Includes the following:
A.
Devices which automatically detect heat, smoke or other products
of combustion;
B.
Manual systems which actuate a fire alarm signal;
C.
Mechanical systems designed and equipped to detect fires, actuate
and alarm, and suppress such fires, to include water flow alarms.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
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]
FIRE MARSHAL
The Chief Fire Marshal of the Township or his or her designated
representative.
[Amended 10-3-2023 by Ord. No. 23-19]
FIRE SERVICES
Authorized fire companies providing fire protection and suppression
to the Township.
INDEPENDENT SMOKE DETECTOR
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.
LICENSEE
The person who holds the license to install, operate and
maintain the alarm/alarm console pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter.
LOCAL ALARM
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.
PERMITTEE
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.
PERSON
Any natural person or individual, or any firm, partnership,
association, limited partnership, sole proprietorship, corporation
or any other business entity.
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.