[HISTORY: Adopted by the Governing Body of
the Borough of Allendale 5-13-1982. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purposes of this chapter are two-fold: to
provide standards and regulations for various types of intrusion,
burglar and other emergency alarm equipment which produce a visual
or audible signal or function by direct line, radio, telephone or
by any other means, requiring a response by the Police Department
or other municipal agencies; and to provide for the installation in
the headquarters of the Police Department or such other place as may
be designated by the Chief of Police of an alarm console as herein
defined.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to
alarm businesses and to any person who operates, maintains or owns
any alarm device, dial alarm or local alarm designed to produce a
visual or audible signal of an emergency and designed to summon or
alert the police or other municipal agencies in response thereto.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The approved panel installed in accordance with directions
of the Police Department for the purpose of giving visual or audible
response to alarm systems installed within the Borough of Allendale
and connected to said alarm console. The alarm console shall be installed,
operated and maintained at such place in the Police Department headquarters
or in such other place as the Chief of Police shall designate. Said
alarm console shall be of such design, capacity, size, power, utility,
efficiency and quality as the Chief of Police shall recommend to the
Mayor and Council. Said alarm console shall be furnished, installed,
operated and maintained in good working order exclusively by and at
the sole cost and expense of the licensee, who shall, in consideration
of said exclusive license, have the privilege of installing, operating
and maintaining the alarm console and have the use and occupancy of
the area designated by the Chief of Police.
Equipment or a device or an assembly of equipment and devices
to signal the presence of an emergency or hazard requiring urgent
attention and to which the Police Department or other municipal agency
may be expected to respond. In this chapter, the term "alarm system"
shall include the terms "alarm device," "local alarm" and "dial alarm."
The Borough Administrator of the Borough of Allendale.
The Chief of Police of the Borough of Allendale or his designated
representative.
The designated representative of the Chief of Police to perform
a function required or permitted by this chapter under the supervision
of the Chief of Police and who shall be a member of the Allendale
Police Department.
Any type of alarm system using telephone lines transmitting
an alarm directly through the police switchboard providing warning
of intrusion or other peril.
Any alarm or signal of an alarm actuated by inadvertence,
negligence, intentional or unintentional act of a person other than
an intruder, and including as well alarms caused by mechanical failure,
malfunctioning or improper installation of the alarm system and related
equipment but not including alarms created by mechanical failure,
malfunctioning or improper installation of the alarm console.
The person who holds the exclusive license to install, operate
and maintain the alarm console pursuant to the provisions of this
chapter.
Any alarm system which when activated produces a signal not
connected to the alarm console or the police switchboard, i.e., store
burglar alarms actuating bell devices providing warning of intrusion
or other peril. The term "local alarm" shall not include an alarm
system solely connected to a registered motor vehicle. The term "local
alarm" shall also not include equipment designed to signal solely
within a building or series of buildings, if owned by the same person
on which it is located, and which does not emit signals, visible or
audible, to persons outside such building or buildings.
Any person who owns an alarm device who has obtained a permit
in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. All permits shall
be issued and fees paid therefor on a calendar-year basis renewable
on January 1 of each succeeding year.
Any natural person or individual or any firm, partnership,
association, limited partnership, sole proprietorship, corporation
or any other business entity.
The Police Department of the Borough of Allendale.
Written notice used herein shall mean by certified mail,
return receipt requested.
No dial alarm shall be permitted unless it shall
have first been registered with the Chief of Police as hereinafter
required and approved by the Chief of Police after approval thereof
by the New Jersey Bell Telephone Company and a test conducted by the
alarm owner or on his or her behalf.
A.
All dial alarms shall be coded to dial a separate
special number to be provided by the Chief of Police. No dial alarm
shall be coded to dial the general police number.
B.
All dial alarms shall be capable of being disconnected
to allow a call to police headquarters in the event of a false alarm.
C.
The owner of each dial alarm system shall pay to the
Borough of Allendale an annual fee, as set by resolution of the Borough
Council, to cover the cost of registration and testing and to amortize
the cost of the special telephone line or lines required in police
headquarters. The annual fee shall be due and payable to the Borough
of Allendale upon installation of any dial alarm system or, in the
case of a dial alarm system in existence at the time of the effective
date of this chapter, within 30 days after the effective date.
[Amended 9-25-1986]
D.
Owners of dial alarms shall be governed by the false
alarm procedures and penalties set forth in this chapter.
E.
If any person has any dial alarm in existence at the
time of the effective date of this chapter, it shall be reprogrammed
within 30 days of said effective date to comply with this chapter.
F.
If any dial alarm hereafter shall be found to be dialing the general police number rather than the special number, the Chief of Police shall send the person in whose name the telephone is listed a written notice requiring compliance with this chapter. If the occupant or telephone subscriber fails to comply within 30 days after service of said notice, said failure shall constitute a violation of this chapter and the person shall be liable to the penalties as set forth under § 82-9 hereof. Each and every day that this chapter is not complied with shall constitute a separate offense.
G.
The contents of a dial alarm message shall be clear
and intelligible and in the format approved by the Chief of Police.
No such message shall be transmitted more than three times as a result
of a single stimulus of the mechanism. Messages shall not exceed 15
seconds, and the time gap between each shall not exceed 10 seconds.
H.
The sensory mechanism of dial alarms shall be adjusted
so as to suppress false indications and not be actuated by impulses
due to 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.
I.
All components of dial alarms shall be maintained by the owner in good repair. On failure to comply with the operational requirements, the owner of a dial alarm shall disconnect until the operational requirements are reestablished. If, upon written notice from the Chief of Police, the owner of a dial alarm shall fail to disconnect said alarm within 10 days, such action shall constitute a violation of this chapter, and said person or persons shall be liable for the penalties set forth in § 82-9 hereof.
No person shall install, operate or maintain
any alarm system unless the system has been registered with and approved
by the Chief of Police.
A.
A dial alarm system shall be deemed registered when
the annual fee has been remitted to the Borough of Allendale and a
permit has been issued by the Chief of Police.
B.
Local alarm systems shall be deemed registered when
the occupant of the building in which the alarm is installed has filed
an approval registration form with the Chief of Police.
C.
All permittees are required to register their alarms,
no matter what the type, with the Chief of Police on a form which
shall include: the name, type and location of the device; the name,
address and a twenty-four-hour telephone number of the alarm installer
or person responsible for its maintenance; a list of persons to be
contacted in the event of an alarm; the person responsible to remit
any fees or liens assessed under this chapter; and all other information
as may be required by the Chief of Police.
D.
No further registration will be required unless a change occurs in the information previously submitted with respect to any alarm system. It shall be the duty of the occupant of a building served by an alarm system, within 10 days of any change in the registration information, to notify the Chief of Police by completing a new registration form. Failure to comply with these provisions will be deemed a violation of this chapter and will subject the violator to the penalties contained in § 82-9 hereof.
E.
Each permittee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Borough of Allendale and its agents, servants and employees from
and against all claims, suits, damages, costs, losses and expenses
and to release the Borough of Allendale and 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.
Upon adoption of this chapter, the Chief of
Police shall recommend to the Mayor and Council written specifications
covering the alarm console hereinbefore defined. The Borough Administrator
shall cause to be published an advertisement inviting sealed bids
for the installation, operation, maintenance and fees for the alarm
console in accordance with this chapter and the specifications of
the Chief of Police. Said bids shall be in a form prescribed by the
Borough Administrator.
A.
In the event of the occurrence of three false alarms
in a calendar year, the alarm user shall, within three days after
written notice to do so, complete a written report to the Chief of
Police setting forth the cause of the false alarms, the corrective
action taken, a statement as to whether the alarm system has been
inspected by an alarm service company and such other information as
the Chief of Police may reasonably require.
B.
Service fees.
(1)
A written notice by the Chief of Police shall be given
upon the third occurrence of a false alarm in a calendar year. Thereafter,
a service fee shall be assessed against the alarm user, in an amount
set by resolution of the Borough Council.
[Amended 9-25-1986]
(2)
Service fees shall be payable to the Borough of Allendale
within 30 days of service of written notice of fourth, fifth or subsequent
false alarms.
C.
In addition to the service fee of the fourth or subsequent false alarms which have resulted due to the failure of the alarm system user to take corrective measures to have the alarm comply with this chapter, the owner of said alarm system shall disconnect the alarm system within 10 days after written notice from the Chief of Police. Upon failure to disconnect after due notice, the alarm system owner shall be subject to the penalties contained in § 82-9 hereof. Each and every day said owner shall fail to comply shall constitute a separate offense. Failure to remit the required service fee or the misuse of the permitted number of false alarms will result in the disconnection of the alarm system from the alarm console at police headquarters after written notice to the alarm system owner or user.
Any person testing an alarm system covered by the provisions of this chapter shall notify the police headquarters immediately prior to and after the testing is completed. Failure to do so shall constitute a violation herein and subjects such person to such penalties as set forth in § 82-9 hereof.
[Amended 9-25-1986]
A.
Every permittee shall, by acceptance of the permit,
be deemed as having consented to inspection of the premises on which
said alarm devices are located at reasonable hours by the Chief of
Police or his designated representative.
B.
Any unauthorized equipment may be disconnected by the Chief of Police or his designated representative for noncompliance with this chapter. Maintaining or installing unauthorized equipment shall be a violation of this chapter, and the person or persons responsible shall be subject to such penalties as are set forth in § 82-9 hereof.
C.
Any licensee for the alarm console and any permittee
utilizing the services of any alarm company shall provide for a representative
to be on call at all times, and such repair service shall be provided
immediately, when necessary, after notification by the Police Department
of any malfunction of any equipment or false alarms.
D.
In addition to the penalties herein otherwise set
forth, the Chief of Police may revoke any license or permit upon 10
days' written notice when the Chief of Police has determined that
the alarm owner or permittee has failed to make the proper repairs
and has failed to comply with this chapter.
E.
Any alarm sounding an audible signal shall have built
into its mechanism a device that shall automatically shut off the
audible signal within 15 minutes.
[Added 5-13-2010]
The annual fee for any registered alarm system shall be $25.
The Chief of Police shall from time to time
promulgate rules and regulations supplementing this chapter in order
to provide for the efficient management of the same. Said rules shall
be subject to the approval of the Mayor and Council.
