[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Lebanon
by Ord. No. 3-1997 (Sec. 3-5 of the 1985 Revised General
Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to alleviate conditions which lead to
an unnecessary drain and use on the manpower, time, space, facility and finances
of the Township of Lebanon and the Police and Fire Departments.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person other than
the Township who operates, maintains or owns any alarm device designed to
summon the Police, Fire Department or other municipal agency to any location
in response to any type of alarm signal.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any type of alarm, actuating equipment which provides warning of
intrusion, fire, burglary, flood or like peril.
The installment in one or more buildings of one or more alarm devices
for the express purpose of giving visual or audible warning, or both, of an
emergency such as burglary, intrusion, fire, smoke, flood or like perils.
The activation of an alarm system by causes other than those to which
the alarm system was designed or intended to respond, resulting in a response
by the Lebanon Township Police, Fire Department or First Aid Squad, where
an emergency situation does not exist.
A.
All components of alarms systems and devices shall be
maintained by the owners or users thereof in good repair. When evidence exists
that there has been a failure by such owners or users to properly maintain
the alarm devices, the Police Chief is authorized to demand that such devices
be disconnected from the telephone system used by the Police and Fire Departments
until such time as appropriate repairs and/or modifications are made.
B.
All alarms systems shall be registered with the Township
of Lebanon, through the Chief of Police.
C.
No person shall maintain or operate any alarm system
except in conformance with this section.
A.
It shall first have been registered with the Police Department
as hereinafter required.
B.
The applicant consents to the inspection of the premises
where the alarm is located during working hours or other mutually agreeable
times.
C.
The applicant maintains at police headquarters the name,
telephone number and address of a relative, neighbor or other third party
who can be contacted by the Police Department in case of an alarm.
D.
E.
The owner of any alarm system or device shall be governed by the false alarm procedures and penalties set forth in § 116-6.
F.
If any person has an alarm system or device in existence
at the time of passage of this chapter, he shall have 60 days in which to
program the equipment to comply with the terms of this chapter. He shall have
60 days to register the alarm system or device with the Chief of Police.
G.
The sensory mechanism of alarm systems or devices shall
be adjusted so as to suppress false indications and not to be actuated by
impulses due to, among other things, pressure changes in water pipes, short
flashes of light, wind, noises, rattling or vibration of doors or windows
or other forces unrelated to general alarms.
H.
All components of alarm systems or devices shall be maintained
by the owner or his designee in good repair. When evidence exists that there
has been failure to comply with the operation requirements of this chapter,
the Chief of Police is then authorized to demand that such device be disconnected
until such time as compliance with such requirements is reestablished, and
any person violating the operation or registration requirements of this chapter
shall be subject to the penalties set forth herein.
A.
False alarms investigations. In case of false alarms
which summon the Police or Fire Department to investigate, the Police Chief
shall cause an investigation to be made and shall keep a record of such false
alarms on file.
B.
Penalties for false alarms. In any twelve-month period,
the following penalties shall apply:
(1)
For the first and second false alarms, a warning shall
be issued. If the alarm system or device is not registered, the first and
second false alarms will be assessed a fine of $50.
(2)
For the third false alarm, a fine of $50 shall be paid
to the Township. If the alarm system or device is not registered, the fine
assessed will be $100.
(3)
For the fourth or subsequent false alarm, a fine of $100
shall be paid to the Township. If the alarm or device is not registered, the
fine assessed will be $200.
C.
In the event of a fourth or subsequent false alarm, in
addition to the fine of $100 established herein, an investigation shall be
conducted by the Police Department. Where the investigation by the Police
Department discloses continued abuse of or negligent operation or maintenance
of an alarm device and a disregard of the taking of remedial steps to avoid
false alarms, the Chief of Police may require disconnection of the device
for a limited or permanent time.
D.
Each incident shall be considered a separate violation.
