[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of South Hackensack 5-7-1981. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Department — See Ch. 14.
Police Department — See Ch. 52.
Fees — See Ch. 108.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 110.
The following terms shall have the following meanings as used herein:
ALARM SYSTEM
The combination of sensory apparatus and related hardware, excluding direct telephone alarms, which are hereby prohibited, which, when activated by the appropriate stimulus, produces a signal, making known the existence of an emergency situation and requiring immediate investigation and response by law enforcement agencies.
[Amended 5-3-1984]
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation or the negligence of the owner or lessee of such alarm system or his family, employees or agents. "False alarm" shall not include alarms caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or other acts of God.
POLICE CHIEF
The South Hackensack Chief of Police.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The South Hackensack Police Department.
TOWNSHIP
In the Township of South Hackensack.
[Amended 12-19-1996 by Ord. No. 96-14]
After a maximum of two false alarms in any calendar month, the owner or lessee of any alarm system shall be assessed a fee as provided in Chapter 108, Fees, upon the occurrence of the third false alarm and each subsequent false alarm during such calendar month. Such fee shall be paid to the Township, provided that the Police Department or Police Chief has given written notification of its determination that a false alarm had occurred to the owner or lessee of such device within 30 days of each of the previous three instances where a false alarm had occurred.
The Police Chief shall cause a written notice to be mailed to the owner or lessee of the alarm system within 30 days of the fourth and each additional false alarm setting forth the fee due and payable under this chapter.
Police officers responding to all false alarms shall file a written report indicating all pertinent information pertaining thereto and a finding as to whether such false alarm was caused by human carelessness, mechanical failure or by any other cause.
If a determination is made by the Police Department that the false alarm was caused by a malfunction or mechanical failure of the equipment as opposed to human carelessness or other cause, written notice of such determination shall be given to the owner or lessee of the alarm system within 30 days thereof, who shall cause the same to be repaired promptly thereafter.
[Amended 11-10-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-11]
If a determination is made by the Fire Chief, Fire Sub-Code Official, Construction Official or Chief of Police that the fire alarm system at any residential or commercial property is triggering false alarms due to mechanical failures or improper installation and/or design as opposed to human carelessness or other cause said official may notify the property owner of such determination and demand that the property owner provide evidence of repair and/or redesign within 30 days sufficient to ensure that said system functions properly for its designed purpose. In the event that any property has more than five such alarms within a calendar year the aforesaid officials shall provide the said notice. In the event that the property owner fails to comply within the allotted time frame to the satisfaction of the authorized officials they shall then provide notice to the South Hackensack Construction Official who shall have authority to revoke said property owner's certificate of occupancy and/or zoning certificate of compliance on the basis that a life safety hazard is posed by continued malfunctions.
Any owner or lessee may present evidence that a false alarm was in fact not caused by human carelessness or negligence or mechanical failure or malfunction, and the Police Chief may act upon such evidence and determine that such was not in fact a false alarm but was caused by hurricane, tornado or other violent act of God.
All public buildings, including but not limited to those maintained and/or owned by the South Hackensack Board of Education, are specifically exempted from the provisions contained above.
[Added 12-19-1996 by Ord. No. 96-14; amended 2-14-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-02]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine not exceeding $2,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days, a period of community service not exceeding 90 days, or any combination thereof.