The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who owns, operates,
leases or maintains any alarm system situated in the Borough of Shrewsbury
if the alarm system has an audible signaling device or a device which requires
a response by the Police Department, Fire Department, First Aid Squad or other
Borough agency. The provisions of this chapter shall in no way prohibit service
by a private source to persons within or without the Borough, so long as such
activity is not in violation of this chapter, and provided further that any
person owning, operating, leasing or maintaining a premises protected by an
alarm system shall be responsible for the registration thereof in accordance
with this chapter.
All components of an alarm system shall be maintained in good repair
and shall operate in a proper manner. When evidence exists that there has
been failure to comply with the maintenance and operation requirements of
this chapter, the Police Department shall then be authorized to demand that
such alarm system be disconnected until such time as compliance with the provisions
of this chapter has been established. The Police Department shall have the
right to disconnect any malfunctioning equipment from any alarm system until
such time as the malfunction has been corrected and the alarm system is operating
in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
All audible signaling devices shall be equipped with a timing device
to limit the sounding of the signaling device to 15 minutes or
less.
The Police Department shall have the authority to promulgate written
rules and regulations and incorporate recommendations proposed by the Fire
Department, First Aid Squad or other Borough agencies, subject to the approval
by a resolution adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Shrewsbury,
which rules and regulations shall supplement this chapter and provide for
record-keeping and the efficient operation and management of alarm systems
in the Borough of Shrewsbury.
[Amended 3-14-1994 by Ord. No. 676]
A. In the case of a false alarm or of improper maintenance
or operation of an alarm system, any person having knowledge thereof shall
immediately notify the Police Department. The Police Department shall cause
an investigation to be made of all false alarms and of all improper maintenance
or operation of alarm systems and shall keep a record of such false alarms
on file.
B. For such false alarms, this chapter prescribes the following
penalties:
(1) For the first and second false alarm in any given calendar year,
a warning shall be issued.
(2) For the third false alarm in the same calendar year, a fine not
to exceed $25, plus court costs, shall be paid to the Borough.
(3) For the fourth or any subsequent false alarm in a calendar year,
a fine not to exceed $50, plus court costs, shall be paid to the Borough.
C. Where the investigation of the Police Department discloses
a continued disregard by the owner for taking remedial steps for avoiding
false alarms or for continued failure to maintain or operate an alarm system,
the Police Department shall have the right to require disconnection of the
alarm system for a limited or permanent time, giving the owner an opportunity
to show cause to the Police Department why such action should not be taken.
A person aggrieved by the decision of the Police Department shall have the
right to appeal said decision to the Mayor and Council within 10 days of the
decision.
D. Any unauthorized equipment pertaining to an alarm system
may be ordered to be disconnected by the Police Department for noncompliance
with this chapter. Any placing, installing or maintaining of unauthorized
equipment or failing to file a required registration application or amendment
thereto shall be a violation of this chapter and shall be subject to a fine
not to exceed $50, plus court costs, which shall be paid to the Borough. Each
and every day that such equipment is installed or maintained shall be considered
a separate violation. Any person placing, installing or maintaining any alarm
system shall be deemed as having consented to inspection of the premises on
which said alarm system is installed or maintained at reasonable hours by
the Police Department.
E. Any act of God (i.e., flood, hurricane, earthquake, etc.)
which affects the operation and performance of an approved alarm system shall,
after such determination by the Police Department, not subject the owner,
operator, lessee, or maintainer to any fine or penalty as herein prescribed
in this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
ALARM SYSTEM
Any device, such as a bell, siren, whistle, horn, gong or Klaxon,
employed to call attention to or provide warning of intrusion by any person
or by fire, smoke, flood or other peril, whether the same provides a visual
or audio response, alarm or warning, if such warning is capable of being heard
or received at any point beyond the interior walls of the house, apartment,
office, store, industrial building or other structure in or on which the alarm
system has been placed.
PERSON
Any individual, person, firm, association, partnership, corporation,
joint venture, society, club, trustee, trust or incorporated activity.
REGISTRANT
Any person owning, operating, leasing or maintaining an alarm system
within the scope of this chapter, who has been issued a registration certificate
to operate and maintain such alarm system.
Except as the same may be clearly inconsistent herewith, this chapter
shall not be deemed to repeal any ordinance, rule or regulation which regulates
any activity in the Borough of Shrewsbury. All ordinances or parts of ordinances
inconsistent with the terms of this chapter shall be and the same are hereby
repealed to the extent of such inconsistencies. If any section or part of
a section of this chapter is declared to be held illegal or unconstitutional,
no other part of a section of this chapter or other ordinance shall be affected
thereby, but the unconstitutional section or part thereof shall be rescinded
and the remaining provisions of this chapter shall continue in full force.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the penalties set forth in §
59-6 above in the discretion of the Judge of the Municipal Court.