[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Gloucester 1-14-1985 by Ord.
No. O-84-59.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as and referred to as the "Gloucester
Township Alarm System Ordinance."
The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the establishment
and maintenance of an efficient, effective and uniform police alarm
system within the Township of Gloucester and to provide standards
and regulations for various alarm equipment, devices or systems to
be installed or connected with or to the Police Department at Police
Headquarters of the Township of Gloucester, so as to elicit a response
or action by the Police Department of the Township of Gloucester,
and to establish regulations concerning the operation and maintenance
of alarm systems with the Township of Gloucester, reduce the number
of false alarms and Police and Fire Department responses thereto,
and provide penalties upon conviction for violation of any of the
provisions set forth herein.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who
installs, connects, operates, maintains, services, owns or leases
any alarm equipment, device or system, including dialer and local
alarms, designed to summon the Police Department, the Fire Department
or any other agency or person to any location within the Township
of Gloucester in response to any type of signal, alarm or preprogrammed,
prerecorded message or recording. The provisions contained herein
shall apply equally to those systems that were placed in service prior
to, or subsequent to, the effective date of this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any mechanical, electrical, or electronic device, devices, or
systems which are designed or used for the detection of unauthorized
entry into a building, structure, facility, or area, or for alerting
others about the commission of an unlawful act within a building,
structure, facility, or area, or for alerting others about the existence
of any other condition requiring the response of police, ambulance,
or fire personnel; and which emits and/or transmits any audible and/or
visual and/or electronic signal or message when activated.
Alarms systems include, but are not limited to, direct dial
telephone devices, both digital and tape recorded voice; panel alarms
that terminate and/or report directly to the Gloucester Township Police
Department Communications Center; local and/or audible and/or visual
alarm systems; alarm systems that report to any commercial alarm receiving
station or center; or any other type of alarm system that is designed
to elicit action of or by the Police Department, Fire Department,
or Ambulance Squads of the Township of Gloucester.
Any one or more personnel, units, or squad of the ambulance
or rescue squads of the Township of Gloucester; also, any mobile intensive
care unit (MICU) or any MICU personnel usually operating in support
of, or in conjunction with, ambulance personnel or ambulance squads,
within the Township of Gloucester.
The Chief of Police of the Township of Gloucester or his
designee.
That license issued by Township Council of the Township of
Gloucester to install and connect and to operate, control and maintain
the police alarm system and to make all subscriber installations and
connections thereto.
A device that, when actuated, causes an electronic digital
or prerecorded voice message to be transmitted, via telephone, to
the Police Department Communications Center or Fire Department Communications
Center.
An alarm signal or message causing a response by police,
fire or ambulance personnel when an emergency does not exist; provided,
however, an alarm signal or message activated by an external source
or cause reasonably beyond the control of the alarm system owner or
operator or their agents, such as a storm, electrical failure, telephone
circuit repair, etc., shall not be deemed a false alarm.
Any alarm system designed to be used for the detection of
fire or other conditions requiring the presence of fire personnel.
Any one or more personnel, units, or companies of the volunteer
fire companies of the Township of Gloucester.
A device that, when actuated, emits an audible and/or visual
signal from the premises that it is designed to protect. Local alarms
may also be direct dial alarms or panel alarms.
A device that, when actuated, transmits an electronic signal,
via leased telephone circuits, to the Police Department Communications
Center or Fire Department Communications Center.
Any natural person, partnership, firm, corporation or association.
That system giving a visual or audio response, or both, on
the control panel of the police console located within the confines
of the Police Department of the Township of Gloucester, monitored
by the Police Department or Police Dispatch Service, including the
subscriber modules, the control modules, the control cabinets, the
energy pack and all necessary and accessory equipment, wires and connections
therein and thereto, and any digital alarm receiving equipment, including
receiver, printer, energy pack, telephone connections and all necessary
and accessory equipment, wires and connections. It shall also include,
as far as applicable, any special telephone lines reserved for receiving
voice-type automatic telephone dialer alarms.
The Gloucester Township Police Department.
Any alarm system designed or used for the detection of or
reporting of those conditions requiring the response primarily of
the police or ambulance personnel, including, but not limited to,
burglar, holdup, panic, and medical-alert-type alarm systems.
The Township of Gloucester.
The Township Council of the Township of Gloucester.
There is hereby established within the Township of Gloucester
a police alarm system common annunciator license, hereinafter referred
to as the "common annunciator license," which shall be granted and
issued by the Township in accordance with and as provided by the terms
of this chapter.
A.
The recipient or holder of said license, hereinafter referred to
as the "common annunciator licensee," shall have exclusive use and
control of the police panel alarm system and digital alarm receivers,
except for the use by the Police Department and the Police Dispatch
Services of the Township of Gloucester and shall make, in accordance
with the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations
adopted thereunder, all installations and connections of such security,
burglar, fire, automatic, emergency or other alarm equipment, device,
or system to the police panel alarm system and digital alarm receivers
in police headquarters as may be inspected and approved by the Chief
of Police and for which a permit shall have been issued.
B.
The common annunciator licensee shall be required to furnish, supply
and provide all necessary materials, equipment and labor in accordance
with plans and specifications prescribed by the Chief of Police and
approved by Township Council for the completion of installation in
Police Headquarters of a police panel alarm system and digital alarm
receivers, which shall include, for present and future subscribers,
installation and connections thereto, 1,000 subscriber digital receiver
and printer and no less than 200 hard line alarm controls together
with the necessary control cabinets and modules, junction boxes, alarm
system panels, cables, necessary relays and stand-by power system,
hard copy printer and all other accessory equipment and connections
related thereto; and said licensee shall be responsible for the maintenance,
operation, installation and connection of and to the same, all at
no cost to the Township of Gloucester.
C.
The common annunciator licensee shall assume liability and agree
to indemnify and save harmless the Township of Gloucester, its agents,
servants and employees, including the Police Department and Police
Dispatch Service, for any acts in connection with the installation,
connection, operation and maintenance of the police alarm system and
the installation and connections thereto and, in conjunction therewith,
shall furnish annually to the Township Clerk of the Township of Gloucester
an insurance certificate indicating liability coverage in an amount
of not less than $1,000,000.
D.
The common annunciator licensee, if required by the Township, shall
post and keep posted during the term of the license with the Township
Clerk a performance bond or other security satisfactory to the Township
Council of the Township of Gloucester and in a form satisfactory to
the Township Solicitor guaranteeing performance of the obligations
of the licensee, and also, if required by the Township, furnish to
the Township Clerk satisfactory evidence of insurance covering the
police alarm system apparatus, equipment and materials installed and
connected by the licensee during the period or term of the licensee.
E.
The common annunciator licensee shall be permitted to charge existing
subscribers of the police alarm system an annual maintenance fee not
to exceed that established therefor in the competitive bid upon which
said common annunciator license was awarded and issued. Said licensee
shall be permitted to charge new subscribers a connection fee not
to exceed that also established therefor in said competitive bid and,
one year after initial installation, the same annual maintenance fee
charged to existing subscribers as hereinabove provided.
F.
The common annunciator license shall be granted or issued by the
Township Council after public advertisement for bids and bidding therefor,
taking into consideration the qualifications, ability, experience,
financial and other references, responsibility and location of the
applicant for said license, as well as the proposed services and protection
offered to the Township and subscribers to the police alarm system,
the amount of fees to be charged to such subscribers and the recommendations
of the Chief of Police, and selecting the bid proposal most advantageous
both to the subscribers and the Township of Gloucester.
G.
Except as hereinafter provided, the common annunciator license issued
hereunder shall be for a term of three years or the maximum term permitted
by law, from the date of approval and issuance by the Township Council
and shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this chapter and
the rules and regulations from time to time promulgated and adopted
pursuant to this chapter.
A.
No person shall install, connect or maintain, or cause to be installed,
connected or maintained, any alarm system in or to the Police Headquarters
in the Township of Gloucester for the purpose of transmitting a signal
or alarm or reporting a signal, alarm or prerecorded message to the
attention of the Police Department for the purpose of summoning of
the Police Department, Fire Department, Ambulance Squad or any other
agency or person and obtaining
some response thereto without first having made application and been
issued a permit therefor in accordance with the provisions of this
chapter and the rules, regulations and procedures hereinafter established
and provided thereunder.
B.
No person shall install, connect, operate, maintain, service or own,
or cause to be installed, connected, operated, maintained, serviced
or owned, any dial alarm equipment, device or system designed to summon
the Police Department of the Township of Gloucester or, through the
Police Department, the Fire Department or other municipal agency to
any location with the Township of Gloucester in response to any type
of signal, alarm, prerecorded or preprogrammed message, report or
other transmission over the telephone wires without first having registered
and obtained a permit therefor in accordance with the provisions of
this chapter and the rules, regulations and procedures hereinafter
established and provided thereunder.
C.
No person shall install, connect or maintain, or cause to be installed,
connected or maintained, any local alarm without first having registered
the same with the Chief of Police as hereinafter provided.
D.
No person shall install, connect or maintain, or cause to be installed,
connected or maintained, any alarm system reporting to any commercial
central alarm receiving station which will result in the central alarm
receiving station requesting the Police Department, Fire Department,
or Ambulance Squad to respond to any location within the Township
of Gloucester in response to signals or transmissions from the alarm
system without first having registered the system with the Chief of
Police, as hereinafter provided.
E.
This chapter shall also apply to all persons having installed, connected,
and maintained any police, burglar, fire, dial, telephone, local,
automatic, emergency or other alarm equipment, device or system covered
or included in this chapter prior to the effective date hereof.
F.
All existing installations and connections of police, burglar, fire,
dial, telephone, automatic emergency or other alarm equipment, device
or system to Police Headquarters at Chews Landing-Clementon Road at
Hider Lane, Gloucester Township, New Jersey, shall be subject to the
provisions of this chapter for the purpose of installation and connection
and maintaining those alarms at the Police Headquarters at Chews Landing-Clementon
Road at Hider Lane, Gloucester, Township, New Jersey.
A.
All applications for the issuance of a permit required under this
chapter shall be made in writing to the Chief of Police on a form
provided therefor and shall be accompanied by an application and processing
fee of $15.
B.
The application shall contain the name, address and telephone number
of the applicant; the name, address and telephone of each of the premises
and customers or persons to be served by the proposed installation
or connection; the location of the device; a description and name
of alarm equipment or system; the name of the installer; the type
of device, alarm equipment and system provisions relating to false
alarms and testing procedures; the list of persons to be contacted
in event of alarm; and such other information as may be required by
the Chief of Police.
C.
Upon application for a permit, the Chief of Police shall cause an
investigation and records to be made and thereafter, provided that
the applicant has complied with all the terms of this chapter and
the rules and regulations made, promulgated and adopted pursuant thereto,
shall issue the permit.
D.
Permit fees for present subscribers to the existing alarm system
on or before the effective date of this chapter shall be waived.
E.
Registration of local alarm systems and alarm systems connected to
commercial central alarm receiving stations shall be in writing on
a form provided by the Chief of Police. Registration of these systems
shall be made before the activation of any such system.
F.
It shall be the responsibility of all persons, who own or occupy
any land or premises in the Township at which an alarm system is installed,
operating, or maintained, to provide to the Chief of Police all current
information as to the names and telephone numbers of responsible persons
who are to be contacted in case of emergency and who are authorized
to provide service to the alarm system on a twenty-four-hour basis.
This information is required to be filed with the Chief of Police
when the alarm system is initially placed into service and must be
maintained current immediately whenever any revisions or changes occur
or are necessary.
No permit shall be granted except upon the following terms and
conditions:
A.
The applicant shall furnish and complete all information required
relating to the application and the alarm, equipment, device or system
to be installed or connected and data relating to prevention of false
alarms and testing procedures.
B.
No person other than the applicant and his agents, family or employees
shall exercise the privileges under the permit.
C.
The applicant shall maintain his equipment in good condition and
repair.
D.
No permit shall be transferred or assigned in any manner.
E.
The permit is accepted upon the express condition that the permittee
shall indemnify and hold the Township of Gloucester harmless from
and on account of any and all damages arising out of the activities
of the permittee, its alarm contractor or the common annunciator licensee
of the Township of Gloucester.
F.
Each separate building, store, premises, place or location shall
require a separate permit and a separate installation or connection
to the police panel alarm system.
G.
The applicant or permittee, upon acceptance of such permit, thereby
agrees to hold and save harmless the Township of Gloucester, its agents
or employees from any liability whatsoever in connection with any
such alarm, equipment, device or system or the operation and maintenance
of the same which shall be the sole responsibility of the person having
had the same installed or connected.
A.
Any permit issued under the provisions of this chapter may be suspended
or revoked by the Chief of Police for any violation of or failure
to comply with the provisions of this chapter or any rule or regulation
promulgated by the Chief of Police and approved by Township Council
pursuant to this chapter, including the following:
(1)
The permittee, his agent or employee willfully failed to and did
not comply with a request by a member of the Police Department to
proceed immediately to the location of permittee's alarm and render
necessary services.
(2)
The permittee, his agents or employees knowingly or carelessly installed
or maintained a faulty alarm device. An inordinate number of false
alarms shall be prima facie evidence that such alarm device is knowingly
a faulty device.
(3)
The permittee has breached the terms and conditions of the permit.
B.
No permit shall be revoked or suspended without giving the permittee
15 days' notice in writing of such action and within said time an
opportunity to show cause before the Chief of Police or his designee
why such action should not be taken. Any person aggrieved by the action
or determination of the Chief of Police, or his designee, in the denial,
suspension or revocation of any permit provided for in this chapter
may appeal to the Township Council of the Township of Gloucester within
five days of receiving such notice of the denial, suspension or revocation
of the permit by filing a written notice of appeal with the Township
Clerk. The filing of the written notice of appeal with the Township
Clerk shall stay any further action by the Chief of Police until such
appeal has been determined by the Township Council. Any revocation
or suspension of an alarm permit by the Chief of Police or his designee
shall not prevent prosecution in Municipal Court for violations of
any provisions of this chapter.
A.
No permit shall be issued for the installation, connection, operation,
maintenance, service or ownership of any type of dial alarm, equipment
or device covered by the terms of this chapter unless the owner has
complied with Federal Communications Commissions Regulations for such
installation and connection to Bell Telephone lines and the permittee
complies with the provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations
promulgated and adopted thereunder. Dialer alarms are expressly prohibited
from reporting to the main Police Department communications phone
numbers. Dialer alarms are permitted to report on only those phone
lines maintained specifically for this purpose by the Police Department.
Any dialer alarm reporting on the main Police Department communications
telephone numbers is in violation of this chapter.
B.
No voice dialer alarm equipment shall be connected to the police
alarm system. Permits shall be issued only for installation of digital
alarm transmitters to be connected to the police alarm system.
C.
Voice dialer alarm equipment installed on or before November 1, 1981,
may be continued subject to the provisions of this chapter.
All local devices, alarms, equipment or systems shall be registered
with the Chief of Police, and all information required with respect
to such registration shall be provided and kept current by the applicant
or registrant, and no fee shall be required therefor. All local alarms
shall have a fifteen-minute automatic silencing or cutoff device within
15 minutes after actuation of the audible signaling device.
A.
The Township of Gloucester shall be under no duty or obligation to
any permittee, the common annunciator licensee or any other licensee
hereunder to maintain or continue any of the police alarm system equipment
or any other equipment device or system connected thereto, the same
being maintained at will and subject to termination at any time by
cancellation of the system by resolution or ordinance duly adopted
by the Township Council. However, the common annunciator license herein
shall not be revoked by the Township Council, except upon good cause;
and any individual permit or license issued hereunder may be revoked
at any time by the Chief of Police as hereinabove provided.
B.
Notwithstanding payment of any fees and/or the receiving or issuance
of any permit or registrations as herein required, the Township, Chief
of Police, the Police Department and their agents and employees shall
be under no obligation whatsoever concerning the installation, connection,
adequacy, operation or maintenance of any alarm, equipment, device
or system installed or connected. The Township of Gloucester and its
authorized agents hereby assume no liability whatsoever for any failure
of such alarm, equipment, device or system, any failure to respond
to any such alarm or transmittals, or for any act of omission or commission
as a result of any such alarm equipment, device or system. The obligation
for the maintenance and upkeep of such alarm equipment, device and
system shall be the sole responsibility of the person having had the
same installed or connected.
For the equipment, device and systems installed or connected
within the Township of Gloucester, the permittee shall pay whatever
charges are required by any alarm company making such installation
and, in addition thereto, the permit fee hereinabove provided and
such connection, installation and annual maintenance charges by the
common annunciator licensee also hereinabove provided for in the event
of installation and connection to the police alarm system.
A.
In the case of a false alarm, any person having knowledge thereof
shall immediately notify the Police Department in a manner to be prescribed
by rules and regulations herein made and provided. In addition, in
the case of a false alarm, the Chief of Police shall cause an investigation
to be made and keep a record of said alarms on file. Where the investigation
of the Police Department discloses continued abuse of the privilege
of connection to the police alarm system or a disregard by the permittee
to take remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the Township reserves
the right to require disconnection from the police alarm system for
a limited or permanent time upon the order of the Chief of Police
or his designee, provided that no permit shall be revoked or suspended
without notice and affording the permittee an opportunity to show
cause before the Chief of Police or his designee why such action should
not be taken, as hereinabove provided.
B.
It shall be the responsibility of all persons, who have installed,
operate, or maintain any alarm system within the Township, to prevent
the activation and/or transmission of false alarms through a program
of training and periodic inspection and maintenance of the system.
A.
Any unauthorized installation or connection to the police panel alarm
system shall be ordered disconnected by the Chief of Police for noncompliance
with this chapter, and any person installing, connecting or maintaining
such unauthorized alarm, alarm system or equipment may be prosecuted
for violation of this chapter.
B.
Any permittee, by acceptance of a permit, shall be deemed to have
consented to a reasonable inspection by the Police Chief or his designee
of the lands and premises at or on which said alarm device is installed.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the general
alerting alarms that may be used by fire companies, ambulance squads,
civil defense agencies, to summon the response of their members. The
provisions of this chapter shall not apply to alarm systems that are
affixed to motor vehicles, unless any such system shall be connected
to or report through any alarm system installed at or a affixed to
a generally considered permanent structure. The provisions of this
chapter shall not apply to any alarm system owned, operated, or maintained
by the Township.
A.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to prescribe and promulgate
supplementary rules and regulations which shall adequately and sufficiently
promote and ensure an effective and efficient police alarm system,
and provide for the effective administration and enforcement of the
provisions of this chapter.
B.
All such rules and regulations, and revisions thereof, shall be in
writing and subject to the approval of the Township Council. Any rule
or regulation which shall affect the permittees or licensees hereunder
shall be duly promulgated and provided by the Chief of Police or his
designee to such permittees or licensees.
Any person found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this chapter by the Municipal Court of the Township of Gloucester shall be subject to a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500 for each violation. In addition to any fine adjudicated by the Court, the Chief of Police may suspend or revoke any alarm permit held by any permittee under the authority of § 25A-9 of this chapter and in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder, and cause any alarms for which said permit is revoked to be disconnected from the police alarm system.
