[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Rockport 9-11-2023 (Ch. 12, Sec. 1, of the 1997 Code of By-laws). Amendments noted where applicable.]
For the purpose of this chapter, the term "false alarm" shall mean:
A. 
The activation of an alarm through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, or the negligence of the user of the alarm system and/or the user's employees or agents;
B. 
Any signal requesting, or requiring, or resulting in a response on the part of the Police and/or Fire Department when, in fact, there has been no unauthorized intrusion into the premises and no attempted robbery or burglary at the premises. Excluded from this definition will be false alarms that are caused by power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wind, or rainstorms and similar conditions.
[Amended 9-8-2025 FTM by Art. G]
A. 
Every alarm user shall submit to the Police and/or Fire Department the names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least two other persons who can be reached at any time, day or night, and who are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an alarm system, and who can open the premises wherein the alarm system is installed. The names, addresses and telephone numbers of these persons must be kept current at all times by the alarm user.
B. 
It shall be the responsibility of the user to instruct the persons receiving calls from the Police and/or Fire Department as to their responsibility when notified of an alarm and their responsibility to accept all calls from the Police and/or Fire Department, and to accept charges for said calls.
The Police and/or Fire Department shall notify the user, in writing, of each false alarm attributable to the user's alarm system, and it shall be the responsibility of the user to forward a full written explanation specifying the reasons for such false alarms and the corrective action to be taken to prevent the further occurrence of said false alarms. The written explanation shall be forwarded directly to the Police and/or Fire Department no later than 15 days from the date of notification of a false alarm.
A. 
Any user of an alarm system that transmits false alarms shall be assessed a fine for each false alarm in excess of three within the calendar year, as provided by the following schedule:
(1) 
First offense: No charge.
(2) 
Second offense: No charge.
(3) 
Third offense: No charge.
(4) 
Fourth offense: $25.
(5) 
Fifth offense: $50.
(6) 
Sixth and subsequent offenses: $100.
B. 
The Police and Fire Departments shall provide written notification to the user of the assessment of said fines. Payment shall be made to the Town of Rockport through the Police and/or Fire Department within 15 days of the receipt of notification of the assessment. Failure to pay said fines within 30 days of the assessment shall result in the disconnection of the alarm system from the Police Department until such payments of fines are made.
No person shall work on, test, or demonstrate any alarm system designed to transmit emergency messages directly to the Police and/or Fire Department without the permission of the Police or Fire Department. Permission is not required to test or demonstrate alarm devices not transmitting emergency messages directly to the Police and/or Fire Department. An unauthorized test will constitute a false alarm with a subsequent penalty imposed.
Each user shall be allowed a period of 30 days from the date of installation to correct faults and/or defects within the system and to properly train all persons in the operation of the system. During this start-up period, no fines will be assessed.
The Chief of Police or Fire Chief shall be authorized to waive the fines assessed for false alarms in the event the alarms are the result of a problem that cannot be readily identified, provided the unidentified problem is substantiated by a written report of a qualified alarm company that will also outline what steps are being made to identify the problem. Said waiver of fines may be granted by the Chief of Police or Fire Chief for a reasonable period, not to exceed 30 days, to allow the system to be repaired.
The Town, through its Chief of Police or Fire Chief, reserves the right to order the disconnection of any alarm system that is connected in any way to the Police and/or Fire Department for violation of any of the provisions of this by-law. Said disconnection shall occur only after the expiration of 30 days from the date of written notification of pending actions by the Chief of Police or Fire Chief.