[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of New Paltz 5-8-1997
by L.L. No. 2-1997. (Note: This local law also provided for the repeal of
former Ch. 46, Alarm Systems, adopted 6-1-1987 by L.L. No. 3-1987.) Amendments
noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Alarm System Local
Law of the Town of New Paltz."
The Town Board of the Town of New Paltz is concerned that a large number
of audible burglar and fire alarm signals or signals transmitted to the New
Paltz Police Department from locations in the Town of New Paltz are activated
automatically as the result of defective or malfunctioning equipment or caused
by the negligence of the owner or occupant of the premises to which the Police
or Fire Departments are required to respond as the result of the signal and
where an emergency condition is found not to exist, resulting in an unnecessary
use of the personnel and resources of the departments. The Town Board believes
that the imposition of a scale of penalties for repeated false alarms will
encourage property owners and occupants to use care in the use of their alarm
equipment and to maintain the equipment in proper condition and that a registration
record will facilitate notification to alarm owners of possible violations
of this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
The activation of an audible alarm system or of a signal transmitted
to the New Paltz Police Department of the Town of New Paltz giving notice
of fire, unlawful entry or other damage to or intrusion upon property where,
upon response by the Fire or Police Department, the condition of fire, unlawful
entry, damage or intrusion upon property is found not to exist. It shall not
be deemed a false alarm where the system or signal is activated by a natural
disaster such as a hurricane, lightning, thunderstorm, earthquake or an interruption
in the electrical or telephone services to the premises without the knowledge
or control of the owner or occupant thereof.
A.
Effective July 1, 1997, the owner or occupant of any
premises in the Town of New Paltz upon which a burglar or fire alarm system
is operated shall provide the following information, in writing, to the New
Paltz Police Department:
(1)
The name, address and business and residence telephone
numbers of the property owner and occupant;
(2)
The property location both by street or postal address
and tax roll identification number;
(3)
The number of individual tenants or subtenants occupying
the premises; and
(4)
The name, address and business and residence telephone
numbers of at least one other person to receive notice of the activation of
the alarm system if the owner or occupant of the premises is not available.
B.
The New Paltz Police Department shall be notified by
the owner or occupant within 15 days of any change in the information previously
provided.
A.
A member of the Police or Fire Department who proceeds
to a premises in response to the communication of a signal which is determined
to be a false alarm shall, within two hours thereafter, file a written report
with the New Paltz Police Department setting forth the date, time, premises,
location, whether an owner or occupant was present, whether there appeared
to be any fire, unlawful entry, intrusion or other damage to the premises
and whether it appeared that the alarm signal was activated by a natural disaster
as above described.
B.
The New Paltz Police Department shall maintain a record
of the reports of false alarms transmitted to the Center from premises in
the Town of New Paltz.
A.
The owner or occupant of premises from which more than
two false alarms shall have previously been given within any twelve-month
period and who shall have at the time of the first alarm maintained current
registration information with the New Paltz Police Department as required
by the provisions of this chapter shall be deemed to have committed the offense
of disorderly conduct pursuant to the Penal Law and shall be punished by a
fine of not more than $100 for the first violation and by a fine of not more
than $250 for each subsequent violation occurring within a twelve-month period.
B.
The owner or occupant of premises from which more than
one false alarm shall have been given within any twelve-month period and who
shall not have at the time of the first alarm maintained current registration
information with the New Paltz Police Department as required by the provisions
of this chapter shall be deemed to have committed the offense of disorderly
conduct pursuant to the Penal Law and shall be punished by a fine of not more
than $100 for the first violation and by a fine of not more than $250 for
each subsequent violation occurring within a twelve-month period.
