[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Pine Beach 7-10-2013 by Ord. No. 13-04-704. Amendments noted where applicable.]
False alarms cost the Borough of Pine Beach and its citizens thousands of dollars per year and can take police officers away from actual emergencies. To prevent unnecessary emergency response to false alarms, the within Article is being adopted to reduce the number of false alarms and encourage alarm users to maintain the mechanical reliability of and to properly use their alarm equipment.
The following definitions are hereby established:
A. 
FALSE ALARM — The activation of an alarm system through mechanical or electronic failure, malfunction, improper installation, or the negligence of the alarm user, his/her employees or agents, and signals activated to summon law enforcement personnel, unless law enforcement response was cancelled by the alarm user or his/her agent before law enforcement personnel arrive at the alarm location. An alarm is false within the meaning of this article when, upon inspection by the Borough of Pine Beach Police Department, evidence indicates that no unauthorized entry, robbery, or other such crime was committed or attempted in or on the premises, which would have activated a properly functioning alarm system. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a false alarm shall not include an alarm which can reasonably be determined to have been caused or activated by unusually violent conditions of nature nor does it include other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to control by the alarm user.
B. 
BURGLAR OR FIRE ALARM SYSTEM — A mechanical or electrical system to detect a breach of the system in a home or business or to alert of a fire. To be considered a burglar or fire alarm system it must be connected to the Police Department through a monitoring center contracted by the owner of the system.
C. 
CANCELLATION OF FALSE ALARM — Someone desiring to cancel a false alarm may do so only through their monitoring center for a breach of their burglar alarm system prior to an officer arriving at the alarm site. The owner shall not dial "911" or contact the Borough of Pine Beach Police Department in order to cancel a false alarm.
The following fees are established in connection with a false alarm as herein defined and within a calendar year period:
A. 
First and second false alarm: will not be billed and no summons will issue.
B. 
Third through fifth false alarms: $100 per offense.
C. 
Sixth and seventh false alarm: $150 per offense.
D. 
Eighth and ninth false alarm: $200 per offense.
E. 
Tenth and subsequent false alarms: $250 per offense.
The violation of any provision of this article shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $250 for each offense. Each and every day a violation of this article shall exist shall constitute a separate violation.