[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
This Part is adopted to promote and protect the public health,
safety, comfort, convenience, prosperity and other aspects of the
general welfare of Township residents. The Washington County 911 Dispatch
Center and Emergency Call System ("911 emergency system") is set up
to assist residents in the event of an emergency and/or other life-threatening
event. Misuse of the 911 emergency system redirects valuable resources
and burdens the emergency response personnel which may result in serious
harm to the public health and safety. In addition it is the intent
of this Part to require the Township police, Fire Department and/or
other emergency personnel to invoice individuals for the costs, expenses
and fees incurred by the Township police, Fire Department and/or other
emergency personnel in response to any unlawful act or violation of
the 911 emergency system as set forth herein.
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
In addition to the definitions contained within the Township
Code, the following definitions shall apply:
The person violating any ordinance of the North Strabane Township and/or any laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and/or those laws, rules and regulations designated as the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Pa.C.S.A. Title 18 and Title 35, Chapter 6 and Chapter 53, respectively and in their entirety.
Any communication to the North Strabane Township or County
911 Dispatch Center or to the police or other entity, indicating the
possibility or existence of the occurrence of a crime or other emergency
situation warranting immediate action by the police, fire and/or other
emergency personnel.
Any person, tenant, resident, business organization, nonprofit
organization, charitable institution, agent, servant or employee who
makes a request for response.
Any request for response which causes the North Strabane
Township Police Department, Fire Department or other emergency personnel
to utilize its communications system, motor vehicles and/or personnel
to arrive at any place designated by the requestor.
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
Any individual who commits an unlawful act as set forth in § 603
shall be subject to the initiation of criminal proceedings for the
violation.
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
1.Â
In addition to and/or in lieu of filing criminal charges set forth
in § 604, any requestor who commits an unlawful act or who
makes a request for response which causes a response and subsequently
results in the cancellation of the call or withdrawing of charges
initiated as a result of the response or any requestor who unreasonably
makes multiple requests for response that are deemed improper, harassing,
unnecessary and baseless shall be charged the cost of the response
as set forth herein.
2.Â
The North Strabane Township Police Department, Fire Department and/or
other emergency personnel shall provide an invoice through the office
of the Township Manager to the actor/perpetrator with payment to be
made within 10 days of receipt of the invoice notice for the Township's
emergency call response.
3.Â
Failure to pay the Township invoice in a timely matter shall result
in a $150 fine being assessed by North Strabane Township for the administrative
costs of the Township in pursuing reimbursement; this amount to be
amended by resolution from time to time. Said fine shall be assessed
against each unpaid invoice.
4.Â
In addition to and/or in lieu of filing criminal charges as set forth
in § 604, failure to pay the aforesaid invoicing and fines
shall cause the Township of North Strabane to seek any and all legal
remedies, including a complaint for contempt of court, initiating
a citation, civil action, judgment and/or municipal lien against the
invoiced party for the unpaid fees and costs incurred. The foregoing
notwithstanding, North Strabane Township, through its relevant agency,
may request any court having competent jurisdiction over a requestor,
actor or perpetrator to make restitution to North Strabane Township
consistent herein.
5.Â
Interest on the unpaid balance of any invoices of any fees shall
carry an interest rate of 9% per annum on the unpaid balance or the
rate established by the court with jurisdiction. In addition, North
Strabane Township may assess attorney's fees, or costs and expenses
associated with the collection of any fee, fines or penalties authorized
herein.
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
Any provisions of any previous Township ordinance which are
inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of any such
inconsistency. To the extent the ordinances are not inconsistent,
they remain in full force.
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
If any sentence, clause, section or other part of this Part
is for any reason found to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid,
such unconstitutionality, illegality or invalidity shall not affect
or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections
or parts of this Part would have been adopted had such unconstitutional,
illegal or invalid sentence, clause, section or part thereof not been
included herein.
[Ord. No. 387, 6/23/2020]
This Part shall become effective five days after adoption.
