[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Montvale 4-12-1977 by Ord. No. 77-660 (Ch. 3 of the 1966 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations for various types of intrusion, burglar, fire, smoke and other emergency alarm devices, whether it be a dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect alarm or local alarm.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who operates, maintains or owns any dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect alarm or local alarm system designed to summon the Police Department, Fire Department or other municipal agencies to any location in response to any type of alarm signal.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
DIAL ALARM
That type of device using telephone lines transmitting an alarm directly through the Police Department, Fire Department and Tri-Borough Radio Station.
DIRECT ALARM
Any alarm or device which when activated signals the Police Department, Fire Department or Tri-Borough Radio Station directly by the use of an electronic or radio signal.
FALSE ALARM
Any alarm activated by inadvertence, negligence or the unintentional act of someone other than an intruder and shall include as well alarms caused by malfunction of the alarm device.
INDIRECT ALARM
Any alarm or device which when activated signals any nongovernmental person, entity or agency, whether located within or without the territorial limits of the Borough of Montvale, by use of a dial, electronic or radio signal, the report of which is then by the use of a dial or electronic radio signal or manual voice response communicated to the Police Department, Fire Department or Tri-Borough Radio Station.
LOCAL ALARM
Any alarm or device which when activated produces a visual and/or noise signal and which is not connected to telephone lines to the Police Department, Fire Department and Tri-Borough Radio Station switchboards.
PERSON
Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation, association, business, club or organization.
[Amended 8-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1035; at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
A. 
No person shall own or operate a dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect alarm or local alarm without first registering the same with the Borough Police Department within 30 days of said ownership and/or operation.
B. 
Every change of ownership and/or control of said dial alarm, direct alarm, indirect alarm or local alarm shall require a new registration with the Borough Police Department.
A. 
Persons having either dial alarms, direct alarms, indirect alarms or local alarm devices shall be required to leave with the Construction Official and the Chief of Police, at time of registration, the name, address and telephone number of a person or persons who can be reached in case of malfunction of the equipment in order that the device may be temporarily disconnected.
[Amended 8-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1035]
B. 
Persons having alarm devices which are being tested or repaired shall notify the Police Department before tests or repairs commence and after completion of same so as to avoid the possibility of activating a false alarm.
A. 
In the case of false alarms, any person having knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Police Department in the fastest possible manner.
B. 
The Chief of Police shall cause an investigation to be made of all false alarms and keep a record of said alarms on file. For such false alarms, the Mayor and Council prescribe the following penalties: for the first and second false alarms in any given calendar year, a warning shall be issued; for the third false alarm in the same calendar year, there shall be a fine of $100; for the fourth false alarm, there shall be a fine of $300. After four false alarms in any given calendar year, there shall be a fine of $500 for each subsequent violation. These fines shall be paid to the Municipal Court of the Borough of Montvale.
[Amended 10-13-1987 by Ord. No. 87-841; 8-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1035]
C. 
All Borough-owned facilities, with the exception of school facilities, shall be exempt from the penalty provisions contained in this section.
[Added 8-22-1995 by Ord. No. 95-1004]
A. 
In the event of a malfunction of the equipment and no person can be located to secure the device, then the owner shall be liable to pay a penalty of $25 in addition to the penalties prescribed in § 135-6B.
B. 
Any person not complying with any of the provisions of this chapter shall be liable for a penalty of $50 payable to the Municipal Court of the Borough of Montvale. Said penalty and all other penalties may be recovered in the Municipal Court of the Borough of Montvale in the same manner as a fine imposed for any other offense.
[Amended 8-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1035]
C. 
All Borough-owned facilities, with the exception of school facilities, shall be exempt from the violation and penalty provisions contained in this section.
[Added 8-22-1995 by Ord. No. 95-1004]
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon final passage and publication as required by law.
[Added 8-13-1996 by Ord. No. 96-1035]
The registration fee for either dial alarms, direct alarms, indirect alarms or local alarm devices pursuant to this chapter shall be $15 for each alarm.