[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Oakmont as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 10-18-2021 by Ord. No. O4-2021]
A. 
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
ALARM
A communication to the Oakmont Borough Police Department or Fire Department indicating that a crime or fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate response has occurred or is occurring.
ALARM DEVICE
A self-contained device present inside a building and which is designed to detect the presence of smoke, heat, carbon monoxide or motion and to then emit a sound audible within the building to warn persons therein of such presence.
ALARM SYSTEM
A system designed to automatically transmit an alarm, by wire, telephone, radio or other means, to the County of Allegheny's 911 dispatch center or to a person who is instructed to so notify the County of Allegheny's 911 dispatch center of the alarm or to activate a bell or other sounding device to be heard outside a building and which is intended to alert the police or others to the existence of a crime or fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate official response.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm to which the Police Department responds and which results from the activation of an alarm system or alarm device when an actual crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate responsive action by such Police Department has not, in fact, occurred.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Oakmont Volunteer Fire Department.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other similar entity.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Oakmont Borough Police Department.
YEAR
Calendar year.
B. 
In this article, the singular shall include the plural; the plural shall include the singular; and the masculine shall include the feminine and the neuter.
A. 
Any person causing or reporting accidental false alarms for any reason to which the Police Department responds or the permit holder of an alarm system that transmits such false alarm for any reason shall pay to the Borough a charge for each and every false alarm, in each calendar year, as follows:
(1) 
False alarm:
(a) 
First false alarm, each calendar year: $50 or proof of yearly maintenance contract in effect for any alarm system involved in transmittal of the false alarm.
(b) 
Second false alarm, each calendar year: $50.
(c) 
Third false alarm, each calendar year: $75.
(d) 
Fourth false alarm, each calendar year: $100.
(e) 
Each false alarm in excess of four, each calendar year: the amount of the charge assessed for the immediately preceding false alarm during that calendar year, plus an additional $25.
B. 
When a false police alarm occurs, the Borough shall, within 45 days from the date of the false alarm, notify the permit holder for the alarm system, or owner of the alarm device from which the false alarm originated, or other person causing said false alarm that a false alarm charge is due and the amount thereof. Such notice shall be in writing and mailed by regular mail, postage paid, to the last known address of the permit holder or other person causing said false alarm.
C. 
A false police alarm charge shall be due and paid to the Borough within 30 days from the date of the mailing of the notice of assessment of the charge.
A. 
Any person causing or reporting accidental false alarms for any reason to which the Fire Department responds or the permit holder of an alarm system that transmits such false alarm for any reason shall pay to the Borough of Oakmont a charge for each and every false alarm, in each calendar year, as follows:
(1) 
False alarm:
(a) 
First false alarm, each calendar year: no charge.
(b) 
Second false alarm, each calendar year: $200 (unless the owner is able to provide proof that the alarm was serviced within 30 days of the false alarm).
(c) 
Third false alarm, each calendar year: $300.
(d) 
Fourth false alarm, each calendar year: $500.
(e) 
Each false alarm in excess of four, each calendar year: the amount of the charge assessed for the immediately preceding false alarm during that calendar year, plus an additional $25.
B. 
When a false fire alarm occurs, the Borough shall, within 45 days from the date of the false alarm, notify the permit holder for the alarm system, or owner of the alarm device from which the false alarm originated, or other person causing said false alarm that a false alarm charge is due and the amount thereof. Such notice shall be in writing and mailed by regular mail, postage paid, to the last known address of the permit holder or other person causing said false alarm.
C. 
A false fire alarm charge shall be due and paid to the Borough 30 days from the date of the mailing of the notice of assessment of the charge.
No person shall conduct or test any alarm device without first obtaining permission from the Police Department. Where the equipment is keyed through an intermediary, no such permission is necessary unless the alarm or signal is to be relayed to the central receiving station.
Administration and enforcement of this article shall be the functions of the Borough of Oakmont and the Oakmont Borough Police Department (to the extent specified herein).
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this article or who shall fail to pay a charge for a false alarm shall, upon conviction, before a District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine not more than $500 per violation, which amount shall be in addition to any charge imposed pursuant to §§ 58-2 and 58-3 of this article.
All prior ordinances and resolutions of the Borough of Oakmont which are inconsistent with the provisions of the within article are hereby repealed to the extent of such inconsistency.
If a decision of a court of competent jurisdiction holds any individual provision of this article or the application of any individual provision of this article to any circumstances to be illegal or unconstitutional, the other provisions of this article and the application of such provision to other circumstances shall remain in full force and effect. The intention of the Borough of Oakmont is that the provisions of this article shall be severable and that this article would have been adopted if any such illegal or unconstitutional provision had not been included.