[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of West Rockhill 7-29-1996 by Ord.
No. 121; amended in its entirety at time of adoption
of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I). Amendments noted
where applicable.]
A.
The purpose of this chapter is to encourage alarm users and alarm
companies to properly use and maintain the operational effectiveness
of alarm systems in order to improve the reliability of alarm systems
and reduce or eliminate false alarms.
B.
This chapter governs alarm systems intended to summon law enforcement
and/or fire response, and requires registration, establishes fees,
provides for penalties for violations, establishes a system of administration,
and sets conditions for suspension of police response or revocation
of registration.
In this chapter the following terms and phrases shall have the
following meanings:
A person or persons designated by the Chief of Police to
administer, control and review false alarm reduction efforts and administer
the provisions of this chapter.
A notification to a law enforcement or fire agency that an
alarm, either manual or automatic, has been activated at a particular
alarm site.
A person in the business of selling, providing, maintaining,
servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing an
alarm system in an alarm site.
Authorization granted by the alarm administrator to an alarm
user to operate an alarm system.
A single fixed premises or location served by an alarm system
or systems. Each unit, if served by a separate alarm system, in a
multiunit building or complex shall be considered a separate alarm
site.
A device or series of devices, including, but not limited
to, hardwired systems and systems interconnected with a radio frequency
method, such as cellular or private radio signals, which emit or transmit
a remote or local audible, visual or electronic signal indicating
an alarm condition and intended to summon law enforcement or fire
response, including local alarm systems. "Alarm system" does not include
an alarm installed in a vehicle or on someone's person unless
the vehicle or the personal alarm is permanently located at a site.
Any person, who (which) has contracted for monitoring, repair,
installation or maintenance service from an alarm installation company
or monitoring company for an alarm system, or who (which) owns or
operates an alarm system which is not monitored, maintained or repaired
under contract.
A class conducted for the purpose of educating alarm users
about the responsible use, operation, and maintenance of alarm systems
and the problems created by false alarms.
A device that allows control of an alarm system.
Any electrical, electronic, mechanical, or other device capable
of being programmed to send a prerecorded voice message, when activated,
over a telephone line, radio or other communication system to a law
enforcement, public safety or emergency services agency requesting
dispatch.
The process where response is terminated when a monitoring
company (designated by the alarm user) for the alarm site notifies
the responding agency that there is not an existing situation at the
alarm site requiring law enforcement or Fire Department response after
an alarm dispatch request.
The transaction or process by which one alarm installation
company or monitoring company begins the servicing and/or monitoring
of a previously unmonitored alarm system or an alarm system previously
serviced and/or monitored by another alarm company.
A silent alarm system signal generated by the entry of a
designated code into an arming station in order to signal that the
alarm user is being forced to turn off the system and requires law
enforcement response.
An alarm dispatch request to a law enforcement agency or
Fire Department, when the responding law enforcement officer or fire
personnel finds no evidence of fire, or smoke, a criminal offense
or attempted criminal offense after having completed a timely investigation
of the alarm site.
Any audible and or monitored alarm signal that requires a
response by fire personnel in the event of detected fire, smoke and/or
heat.
A silent alarm signal generated by the manual activation
of a device intended to signal a robbery in progress.
The Chief of Police or other designated representative of
the Pennridge Regional Police Department.
Any alarm system, which is not monitored, that annunciates
an alarm only at the alarm site.
The process by which a monitoring company receives signals
from an alarm system and relays an alarm dispatch request to the municipality
for the purpose of summoning law enforcement to the alarm site.
A person in the business of providing monitoring services.
The manual activation of a silent alarm signal by entering
at an arming station a code that adds one to the last digit of the
normal arm/disarm code (e.g., normal code = 1234, one plus duress
code = 1235)
An audible alarm system signal generated by the manual activation
of a device intended to signal a life-threatening or emergency situation
requiring law enforcement response.
An individual, corporation, partnership, association, organization
or similar entity.
An individual capable of reaching the alarm site within 30
minutes and having access to the alarm site, the code to the alarm
system and the authority to approve repairs to the alarm system.
The ANSI (American National Standard Institute) approved
Security Industry Association - SIA CP-01 Control Panel Standard,
as may be updated from time to time, that details recommended design
features for security system control panels and their associated arming
and disarming devices to reduce the incidence of false alarms. Control
panels built and tested to this standard by Underwriters Laboratory
(UL), or other nationally recognized testing organizations, will be
marked to state: "Design evaluated in accordance with SIA CP-01 Control
Panel Standard features for false alarm reduction".
The transaction or process by which an alarm user takes over
control of an existing alarm system, which was previously controlled
by another alarm user.
An attempt by the monitoring company, or its representative,
to contact the alarm site by telephonic or other electronic means,
whether or not actual contact with a person is made, to determine
whether an alarm signal is valid before requesting law enforcement
dispatch, in an attempt to avoid an unnecessary alarm dispatch request.
Division of devices into which an alarm system is divided
to indicate the general location from which an alarm system signal
is transmitted.
A.
No alarm user shall operate, or cause to be operated, an alarm system,
existing or new installation, at its alarm site without a valid alarm
registration. A separate alarm registration is required for each alarm
site.
B.
The fee for an alarm registration or an alarm registration renewal
is set forth below and shall be paid by the alarm user. No refund
of a registration or registration renewal fee will be made. The initial
alarm registration fee must be submitted to the alarm administrator
within five days after the alarm system installation or alarm system
takeover. All existing alarm systems must be permitted within 90 days
of the effective date of this chapter.
(1)
Registration fees: $30. The registration fee will be waived for all
alarm users that register their alarm system or systems within 90
days of the effective date (March 18, 2002). The first registration
fee of residential alarm users of the age of 65 years or older will
be waived.
(2)
Renewal fees: $30 if the alarm user fails to renew on or prior to
expiration date or if the alarm user has been cited of a violation
and fined in the previous year.
C.
Upon receipt of a completed alarm registration application form and
the alarm registration fee, the alarm administrator shall register
the applicant unless the applicant has:
D.
Each alarm registration application must include the following information:
(1)
The name, complete address (including apt/suite number), and telephone
numbers of the person who will be the registration holder and be responsible
for the proper maintenance and operation of the alarm system and payment
of fees assessed under this chapter;
(2)
The classification of the alarm site as either residential (includes
apartment, condo, mobile home, etc.) or commercial;
(3)
For each alarm system located at the alarm site, the classification
of the alarm system (i.e., burglary, holdup, duress, panic alarms
or other) and for each classification whether such alarm is audible
or silent;
(4)
Mailing address, if different from the address of the alarm site;
(5)
Any dangerous or special conditions present at the alarm site;
(6)
Names and telephone numbers of at least three individuals who are
able and have agreed to:
(7)
Type of business conducted at a commercial alarm site;
(8)
Signed certification from the alarm user stating the following:
(a)
The date of installation, conversion or takeover of the alarm
system, whichever is applicable;
(b)
The name, address, and telephone number of the alarm installation
company or companies performing the alarm system installation, conversion
or takeover and of the alarm installation company responsible for
providing repair service to the alarm system;
(c)
The name, address, and telephone number of the monitoring company
if different from the alarm installation company;
(d)
That a set of written operating instructions for the alarm system,
including written guidelines on how to avoid false alarms, have been
left with the applicant by the alarm installation company; and
(e)
That the alarm installation company has trained the applicant
in proper use of the alarm system, including instructions on how to
avoid false alarms.
(9)
That law enforcement response may be influenced by factors including,
but not limited to the availability of police units, priority of calls,
weather conditions, traffic conditions, emergency conditions, staffing
levels, etc.
E.
Any false statement of a material fact made by an applicant for the
purpose of obtaining an alarm registration shall be sufficient cause
for refusal to issue a registration.
F.
An alarm registration cannot be transferred to another person or
alarm site. An alarm user shall inform the alarm administrator of
any change that alters any of the information listed on the alarm
registration application within five business days of such change.
G.
All fees owed by an applicant must be paid before an alarm registration
may be issued or renewed.
An alarm registration shall expire five years from the date
of issuance, and must be renewed by submitting an updated application
on or prior to the expiration date. Any user that has been charged
with any violation and fined during the preceding year will be required
to submit a $30 reinstatement fee.
A.
B.
An alarm user shall adjust the mechanism or cause the mechanism to
be adjusted so that an alarm signal audible on the exterior of an
alarm site will sound for no longer than 10 minutes after being activated.
C.
An alarm user shall have a licensed alarm installation company inspect
the alarm system after four false alarms in a one-year period. The
alarm administrator may waive a required inspection if it determines
that a false alarm(s) could not have been related to a defect or malfunction
in the alarm system. After six false alarms within a one-year period,
the alarm user must have a licensed alarm installation company modify
the alarm system to be more false alarm resistant or provide additional
user training as appropriate.
D.
An alarm user shall not use automatic voice dialers.
E.
An alarm user shall maintain at each alarm site a set of written
operating instructions for each alarm system.
F.
All alarm users shall agree with their alarm installation company
and/or monitoring company to go through an "acclimation period" for
the first seven days after installation of an alarm system during
which time the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company
will have no obligation to and will not respond to any alarm signal
from the alarm site and will not make an alarm dispatch request to
law enforcement, even if the alarm signal is the result of an actual
alarm event.
A.
The alarm installation company shall provide written and oral instructions
to each of its alarm users in the proper use and operation of their
alarm systems. Such instructions will specifically include all instructions
necessary to turn the alarm system on and off and to avoid false alarms.
B.
Upon the effective date of this chapter, alarm installation companies
shall not program alarm systems so that they are capable of sending
one plus duress alarms. Monitoring companies may continue to report
one plus duress alarms received from alarm systems programmed with
one plus duress alarms prior to enactment of this chapter. However,
upon the effective date of this chapter, when a takeover or conversion
occurs or if an alarm user requests an alarm system inspection or
modification, an alarm installation company must remove the one plus
duress alarm capability from such alarm systems
C.
Upon the effective date of this chapter, alarm installation companies
shall not install a device to activate a holdup alarm, which is a
single-action, nonrecessed button.
D.
Ninety days after enactment of this chapter, and conditioned upon
reasonable availability, the alarm installation companies shall, on
new installations, use only alarm control panel(s) which meet SIA
Control Panel Standard CP-01. Fire alarms shall meet NFPA standards.
E.
An alarm company shall not use automatic voice dialers.
F.
After completion of the installation of an alarm system, an alarm
installation company employee shall review with the alarm user the
customer methods to prevent false alarms.
G.
The monitoring company shall not make an alarm dispatch request of
a law enforcement agency in response to a burglar alarm signal, excluding
panic, duress and holdup signals, during the first seven days following
an alarm system installation. The alarm administrator may grant an
alarm user's request for an exemption from this waiting period
based upon a determination that special circumstances substantiate
the need for the exemption.
H.
A monitoring company shall:
(1)
Report alarm signals by using telephone numbers designated by the
alarm administrator;
(2)
Verify every alarm signal, except a duress, fire or holdup alarm
activation before requesting a law enforcement or fire response to
an alarm system signal;
(3)
Communicate alarm dispatch requests to the city in a manner and form
determined by the alarm administrator;
(4)
Communicate cancellations to the city in a manner and form determined
by the alarm administrator;
(5)
Ensure that all alarm users of alarm systems equipped with a duress,
holdup or panic alarm are given adequate training as to the proper
use of the duress, holdup or panic alarm;
(6)
Communicate any available information (north, south, front, back,
floor, etc.) about the location on all alarm signals related to the
alarm dispatch request;
(7)
Communicate type of alarm activation (silent or audible, interior
or perimeter);
(8)
Provide an alarm user registration number when requesting law enforcement
and/or fire dispatch;
(9)
After an alarm dispatch request, promptly advise the law enforcement
agency if the monitoring company knows that the alarm user or the
responder is on the way to the alarm site;
(10)
Attempt to contact the alarm user or responder within 24 hours
via mail, fax, telephone or other electronic means when an alarm dispatch
request is made; and
(11)
Upon the effective date of this chapter, monitoring companies
must maintain for a period of at least one year from the date of the
alarm dispatch request records relating to alarm dispatch requests.
Records must include the name, address and telephone number of the
alarm user, the alarm system zone(s) activated, the time of alarm
dispatch request and evidence of an attempt to verify. The alarm administrator
may request copies of such records for individually named alarm users.
If the request is made within 60 days of an alarm dispatch request,
the monitoring company shall furnish requested records within three
business days of receiving the request. If the records are requested
between 60 days to one year after an alarm dispatch request, the monitoring
company shall furnish the requested records within 30 days of receiving
the request.
I.
An alarm installation company and/or monitoring company that purchases
alarm system accounts from another person shall notify the alarm administrator
of such purchase and provide details as may be reasonably requested
by the alarm administrator.
B.
The alarm administrator shall establish a procedure to record such
information on alarm dispatch requests necessary to permit the alarm
administrator to maintain records, including, but not limited to,
the information listed below.
(1)
Identification of the registration number for the alarm site;
(2)
Identification of the alarm site;
(3)
Date and time alarm dispatch request was received, including the
name of the monitoring company and the monitoring operator name or
number;
(4)
Date and time of law enforcement officer arrival at the alarm site;
(5)
Zone and zone description, if available;
(6)
Weather conditions;
(7)
Name of alarm user's representative at alarm site, if any;
(8)
Identification of the responsible alarm installation company or monitoring
company;
(9)
Whether law enforcement officer was unable to locate the address
of the alarm site; and
(10)
Cause of alarm signal, if known.
C.
The alarm administrator shall establish a procedure for the notification
to the alarm user of a false alarm. The notice shall include the following
information:
(1)
The date and time of law enforcement response to the false alarm;
(2)
The identification number of the responding law enforcement officer;
and
(3)
A statement urging the alarm user to ensure that the alarm system
is properly operated, inspected, and serviced in order to avoid false
alarms and resulting fines.
D.
The alarm administrator may require a conference with an alarm user
and the alarm installation company and/or monitoring company responsible
for the repair or monitoring of the alarm system to review the circumstances
of each false alarm.
E.
The alarm administrator may create and implement an alarm user awareness
class. The alarm administrator may request the assistance of associations,
alarm companies and law enforcement agencies in developing and implementing
the class. The class shall inform alarm users of the problems created
by false alarms and teach alarm users how to avoid generating false
alarms.
F.
The alarm administrator may require an alarm user to remove a holdup
alarm that is a single-action, nonrecessed button, if a false holdup
alarm has occurred.
G.
The alarm administrator will make a copy of this chapter and/or a
summary sheet available to the alarm user.
A.
An alarm user shall be subject to fines, depending on the number
of false alarms within a twelve-month period based upon the following
schedule:
B.
In addition, any person operating a nonregistered alarm system will
be subject to a fine of $50 for each false alarm in addition to any
other fines. The alarm administrator may waive this additional fine
for a nonregistered system if the alarm user submits an application
for alarm registration within 10 days after of notification of such
violation.
C.
An alarm user may have the option of attending an alarm user awareness
class in lieu of paying one prescribed fine.
D.
If cancellation occurs prior to law enforcement arriving at the scene,
this is not a false alarm for the purpose of fines and no fines will
be assessed.
E.
Notice of the right of appeal under this chapter will be included
with any fines.
A.
The alarm administrator or the responding officer shall notify the
alarm user, in writing, after each false alarm. The notification shall
include the amount of the fine for the false alarm, notice as to whether
the alarm user is eligible to attend an alarm user awareness class
to waive a fine if a fine is issued, the fact that response will be
suspended after the seventh false alarm if the alarm user permit is
suspended, excluding fire, duress, holdup and panic alarms, and a
description of the appeals procedure available to the alarm user.
B.
The alarm administrator will notify the alarm user and the alarm
installation company or monitoring company, in writing, after alarm
response has been suspended, except to duress, holdup and panic alarms.
This notice of suspension will also include the amount of the fine
for each false alarm and a description of the appeals procedure available
to the alarm user and the alarm installation company or monitoring
company.
A.
The alarm administrator may suspend law enforcement response to an
alarm site by revoking the alarm registration if it is determined
that:
(1)
The alarm user has seven or more false alarms in a twelve-month period
excluding duress, holdup or panic alarms;
(2)
There is a statement of a material fact known to be false in the
application for a registration;
(3)
The alarm user has failed to make timely payment of a fine or fee
assessed under this chapter; or
(4)
The alarm user has failed to submit a written certification from
an alarm installation company, that complies with the requirements
of this chapter, stating that the alarm system has been inspected
and repaired (if necessary) and/or additional training has been conducted
by the alarm installation company.
B.
A person commits an offense if he/she operates an alarm system during the period in which his alarm registration is revoked and is subject to enforcement and penalties set in § 10-13. A monitoring company commits an offense if it continues alarm dispatch requests to an alarm site after notification by the alarm administrator that the registration has been revoked and may be subject to enforcement and penalties set forth in § 110-13.
C.
Unless there is separate indication that there is a crime in progress,
the law enforcement authority will refuse law enforcement response
to an alarm dispatch request at an alarm site for which the alarm
registration is revoked.
A.
If the alarm administrator assesses a fine or denies the issuance,
renewal or reinstatement of an alarm registration, the alarm administrator
shall send written notice of the action and a statement of the right
to an appeal to either the affected applicant or alarm user and the
alarm installation company and/or monitoring company.
B.
The alarm user, alarm installation company or monitoring company
may appeal an assessment of a fine or the revocation of an alarm registration
to the alarm administrator by setting forth, in writing, the reasons
for the appeal within 15 business days after receipt of the fine or
notice of revocation.
C.
The alarm user or the alarm installation company or monitoring company
may appeal the decision of the alarm administrator to the Chief of
Police as follows:
(1)
The applicant, alarm user, alarm installation company or the monitoring
company may file a written request for a review by paying an appeal
fee of 1/2 of the required fine and setting forth the reasons for
the appeal within 20 business days after the date of notification
of the decision from the alarm administrator. Appeal fees will be
returned to the appealing alarm user, alarm installation company or
monitoring company if the appeal is upheld.
(2)
The Chief of Police shall conduct a formal hearing within 30 days
of the receipt of the request and consider the evidence by any interested
person(s). The Chief of Police shall make its decision on the basis
of the preponderance of evidence presented at the hearing. The Chief
of Police must render a decision within 15 days after the date of
the hearing. The Chief of Police shall affirm or reverse the decision
of the alarm administrator.
D.
Filing of a request for appeal shall stay the action by the alarm
administrator revoking an alarm registration or requiring payment
of a fine, until the Chief of Police has completed its review. If
a request for appeal is not made within the twenty-business day period,
the action of the alarm administrator is final.
E.
Alarm administrator or Chief of Police may adjust the count of false
alarms based on:
(1)
Evidence that a false alarm was caused by an act of God;
(2)
Evidence that a false alarm was caused by action of the telephone
company;
(3)
Evidence that a power outage lasting longer than four hours caused
a false alarm;
(4)
Evidence that the alarm dispatch request was not a false alarm;
(5)
Evidence that the law enforcement officer response was not completed
in a timely fashion; and/or
F.
In determining the number of false alarms, multiple alarms occurring
in any twenty-four-hour period shall be counted as one false alarm;
to allow the alarm user time to take corrective action unless the
false alarms are directly caused by the alarm user.
G.
With respect to fines of an alarm installation company or monitoring
company the alarm administrator or law enforcement authority may take
into consideration whether the alarm company had engaged in a consistent
pattern of violations.
A.
A person whose alarm registration has been revoked may, at the discretion
of the alarm administrator or the Chief of Police, have the alarm
registration reinstated by the alarm administrator or the Chief of
Police if the person:
(1)
Submits a new application and pays a $30 reinstatement fee;
(2)
Pays, or otherwise resolves, all outstanding citations and fines;
and
(3)
Submits a certification from an alarm installation company stating
that the alarm system has been inspected and repaired (if necessary)
by the alarm installation company.
B.
In addition, the alarm administrator may require one or more of the
following as a condition to reinstatement:
(1)
Proof that an employee of the alarm installation company or monitoring
company caused the false alarm;
(2)
Upgrade the alarm control panel to meet SIA Control Panel Standard
CP-01;
(3)
A written statement from an independent inspector designated by the
Chief of Police that the alarm system has been inspected and is in
good working order;
(4)
Confirmation that all motion detectors are "dual technology" type;
(5)
Confirmation that the alarm system requires two independent zones
to trigger before transmitting an alarm signal to the monitoring company;
(6)
Confirmation that the alarm system requires two independent detectors
to trigger before transmitting an alarm signal to the monitoring company;
(7)
Certification that the monitoring company will not make an alarm
dispatch request unless the need for law enforcement is confirmed
by a listen-in device;
(8)
Certification that the monitoring company will not request an alarm
dispatch unless the need for law enforcement is confirmed by a camera
device; or
(9)
Certification that the monitoring company will not make an alarm
dispatch request unless the need for law enforcement is confirmed
by a person at the alarm site.
All violations of this chapter not address by fines or penalties
elsewhere in this chapter shall be functions of the Police Department
and shall include the following:
A.
Authority to accept or reject a permit application or revoke a permit
because of a misrepresentation or false statement contained in any
application for a permit, failure to correct any deficiencies in equipment
or operation of an alarm device after receipt of due notice from the
Police Department, or not meeting other conditions and specifications
of this chapter.
B.
Authority to order the disconnection of an alarm device until such
device is made to comply with operational standards set forth herein,
but only when evidence of failure to comply with said standards imposes
a burden upon the Police Department as a result of false alarms.
In the interest of public safety, all information contained
in and gathered through the alarm registration applications and applications
for appeals shall be held in confidence by all employees or representatives
of the Township and by any third-party administrator or employees
of a third-party administrator with access to such information.
