[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Franklin 1-12-1993 by Ord. No. 1751 (Ch. 73 of the 1990 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Numbering of buildings — See Ch. 121.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 132.
Noise — See Ch. 167.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations for various types of intrusion, burglar, fire and other emergency alarm devices, whether by direct line, radio, telephone or other means, requiring a response by the Police Department, Fire Department or other municipal agency of the Township.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who operates, maintains or owns any alarm device or local alarm which is designed to summon the Police Department, Fire Department or other municipal agency to any location in response to any type of alarm signal. The terms of this chapter shall in no way apply to or prohibit alarm companies from providing service by private source to other offices within or without the Township.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM DEVICE
Any type of alarm system actuating equipment providing warning of intrusion, fire, smoke, flood or other peril.
ALARM INSTALLATION
Any alarm device or combination of devices installed for one or more buildings at a location.
CENTRAL STATION ALARMS
Alarm systems monitored by persons other than the Township police requiring a response by the Police Department, Fire Department or other municipal agency.
DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE
A member of the Police Department of the Township.
FALSE ALARM
Any alarm for which there is no evidence of an attempted unauthorized entry or for which there is evidence of an equipment failure or evidence of inadvertence on the part of any permittee, agents, servants and employees requiring a response by police, fire or other municipal agency.
LOCAL ALARM
Any alarm or device which, when actuated, produces an audible signal, such as store burglar alarms actuating bell devices.
PERMITTEE
Any person owning an alarm device or a local alarm within the scope of this chapter.
PERSON
Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation or association.
No dial alarm shall be connected to police headquarters.
All fire alarm devices shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of the state and with the approval of the Director of Fire Prevention.
Any unauthorized equipment may be disconnected by the Chief of Police or his designated representative for noncompliance with this chapter, and any person installing or maintaining unauthorized equipment shall be prosecuted for violation of this chapter, and each day such equipment is in operation shall be considered a separate violation.
[Amended 6-27-2002 by Ord. No. 3299]
A. 
In the case of a false alarm, any person having knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Police Department. In addition, in the case of false alarms, the Chief of Police shall cause an investigation to be made and keep a record of such alarms on file.
B. 
For such false alarms the Council prescribes the following penalties:
[Amended 6-23-2009 by Ord. No. 3833]
(1) 
A first warning will be issued after the third false alarm in any given calendar year.
(2) 
A fine of $50 plus a court fee of $15 paid to the Township will be issued after the fourth false alarm in the same calendar year.
(3) 
A fine of $75 plus a court fee of $15 paid to the Township will be issued for the fifth, sixth and seventh false alarms in the same calendar year.
(4) 
For the eighth and subsequent false alarms within a calendar year, appearance in the Franklin Township Municipal Court shall be mandatory. If found guilty, violators shall be subject to a fine of up to $2,000 as prescribed by the Municipal Court Judge.
[Amended 6-26-2018 by Ord. No. 4238-18]
C. 
In the case of a false fire alarm as defined in Chapter 132, Fire Prevention, §§  132-25, reports investigations, summons, violations, and penalties shall be in accordance with §§ 132-26 and 132-27.
[Added 10-14-1997 by Ord. No. 2033; amended 9-28-2004 by Ord. No. 3492]
All alarm devices must be registered within 30 days of installation or activation with a central monitoring center. Failure to register a new alarm device or new service with a central monitoring company within 20 days of receipt of written notice to register the alarm shall be deemed a violation of this chapter and subject to the permittee to penalties as outline in § 85-13 of this chapter.
[Added 10-14-1997 by Ord. No. 2033]
A. 
Any person utilizing an alarm system shall complete and file with the Chief of Police a registration form, which may be obtained from the Police Department, correctly containing the following information:
(1) 
Full name, address, and telephone number of applicant, including an address description which will permit the appropriate municipal department to respond to the alarm;
(2) 
Common name of alarm premises;
(3) 
Name and address of person installing, maintaining and/or owning the system;
(4) 
Description of system's operation, including, not by way of limitation, activation points of the system and the mechanism or mechanisms by which the system becomes activated;
(5) 
Name, address, and telephone number of person or business entity monitoring and initially responding to an activation of the alarm system;
(6) 
Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of four responsible persons to be contacted in case of alarm and/or malfunction, commonly referred to as "key holders;"
(7) 
Any additional relevant information specifically requested by the Chief of Police.
B. 
If there has occurred any material change in the information previously submitted with respect to any alarm system by the alarm user, it shall be the duty of the alarm user, within 10 days of such material change, to file a supplemental or revised registration form containing accurate current information. This section shall include, but is in no way limited to, the disconnection of said alarm. Failure to comply with these provisions will be deemed a violation of this chapter and subject the violator to the penalties contained herein.
[Added 10-14-1997 by Ord. No. 2033]
By installing an alarm system and registering same with the Township of Franklin, each alarm user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Township of Franklin, its agents, servants, and employees from and against all claims, suits, damages, costs, losses and expenses and to release the Township of Franklin, its agents, servants, and employees from any and all liability or damages in any way resulting from or arising out of or connected with the installation, operation, or maintenance of the alarm system or any act or omission connected therewith.
The Township Manager may from time to time promulgate rules and regulations supplementing this chapter in order to provide for recordkeeping and efficient management of the system, provided that the Council must first approve such rules or any changes thereto.
[Added 6-23-2009 by Ord. No. 3833[1]]
A. 
There shall be a one-time registration fee for all new alarms registered with the Police Department pursuant to § 85-8. The fee schedule shall be:
(1) 
Residential alarms: $25.
(2) 
Commercial alarms: $50.
B. 
Any alarms registered with the Police Department prior to the enactment of this section shall not be required to pay a registration fee.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former § 85-12, Violations and penalties, as § 85-13.
Any person found guilty in the Municipal Court of the Township for violation of the terms of this chapter other than for violating the terms of § 85-7, which provides specific penalties for violations thereof, shall be subject to the penalties provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty.