The text
Footnotes:
--- (1) --- Cross reference— Fire prevention and protection, ch. 12; false fire alarms, § 17-4; police, ch. 21.
Sec. 4-1. - Definitions.#
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Alarm system means equipment or devices located on real property within the town, which equipment or devices are arranged to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which police or fire are expected to respond. In this section, the term "alarm system" shall include, but shall not be limited to, the terms "automatic holdup alarm systems," "burglar alarm systems," "holdup alarm systems," "manual holdup alarm systems," "audible alarm systems" and "fire alarm systems."
Direct connect systems means all alarm systems which have the capability of transmitting to any agency maintained by the town, such as the police station and/or the fire department, whether through telephone lines or a signal system. Such terms shall also include any alarm system which transmits a signal to an answering service or a monitoring service, which in turn transmits a signal, whether verbal or otherwise, to an agency maintained by the town.
False alarm means the activation of an alarm system, including any direct connect system, to which the police and/or fire department responds and which is not caused by: (1)
Fire, a criminal act or other emergency;
(2)
An act of nature, such as an earthquake, tornado or hurricane, but not including a thunderstorm; or
(3)
Circumstances occurring off the protected property and not within the control of the subscriber, his alarm company or his answering service including, but not limited to, electrical power failure.
(Ord. No. 1996-08, § 1, 5-15-96)
Cross reference— Definitions generally, § 1-2.
Sec. 4-2. - Maintenance of system.#
(a)
The owner of any burglar alarm system in the town shall maintain all components of his alarm system in good working order at all times to ensure that the sensory mechanism is adjusted to suppress false indication of holdups, or intrusions, so that the alarm system will not be activated by impulses due to short flashes of light, wing noises, small animals, vehicular noise or other forces unrelated to genuine alarms.
(b)
The owner of any fire alarm system within the town shall maintain all components of his system in good working order and in compliance with chapter 8 of the state fire prevention code.
(Ord. No. 1996-08, § 2, 5-15-96)
Sec. 4-3. - Audible alarm system.#
No burglar alarm system within the town shall sound an alarm which is audible off of the premises for longer than 15 minutes without shutting off automatically.
(Ord. No. 1996-08, § 3, 5-15-96)
Sec. 4-4. - False alarms—Fines; appeals.#
(a)
The town, acting by and through the police and fire departments, upon responding to any false alarm shall leave written notice at the premises concerning the time and nature of said alarm together with a warning that the alarm system should be inspected by the homeowner and/or the alarm company with section 4-2.
(b)
The town, acting by and through the police and fire departments, upon responding to any third and all subsequent false alarms within any six-month period of time for any single premises shall notify in writing the owner of the premises of the violation of this chapter and impose a fine in the amount to be set by the town council from time to time. In addition, the owner of the premises shall be required to register the alarm system with the police department and obtain a permit in accordance with section 4-7. Within 15 days of the mailing or hand delivery of the notice of violation of this chapter, the owner may file a written appeal of said charge with the clerk of the municipal court. Said notice of appeal shall contain information to show that the alarm giving rise to the fine was not a false alarm within the meaning of this chapter.
(c)
Failure to appeal or pay fine. Failure of the owner to pay the imposed fee or file an appeal within 15 days of the mailing or hand delivery of the notice of violation shall result in doubling the amount of the imposed fine. Absent a pending appeal, failure of the owner to pay the imposed fee within 30 days of the mailing or hand delivery of the notice of violation shall result in the tripling of the amount of the imposed fine. In addition, failure to pay any fees imposed shall result in denial of the owner's permit application in accordance with subsection 4-7(c).
(Ord. No. 1996-08, § 4, 5-15-96; Ord. No. 2001-07, 3-15-01; Ord. No. 2007-11, 3-21-07)
Sec. 4-5. - False alarms—Compilation of record.#
The chief of police and the chief of the fire department shall compile a continuous record of all false alarms within their jurisdictions and of all fines imposed pursuant to this chapter. Such records shall indicate the number and frequency of false alarms and shall separately state the amount of fines collected for false alarms in violation of this chapter.
(Ord. No. 1996-08, § 5, 5-15-96; Ord. No. 2001-07, 3-15-01)
Sec. 4-6. - Town liability.#
The town shall not be liable for the defects in any direct connect system; for any failure or neglect to respond appropriately upon receipt of an alarm from a direct connect system; for any failure or neglect of any person in connection with the installation, operation, disconnection or removal of alarm system equipment; the transmission of alarm systems signals; or the relaying of such signals or messages.
(Ord. No. 1996-08, § 6, 5-15-96)
Sec. 4-7. - Registration and permit required after violation.#
(a)
Any alarm system which is the subject of a notice of violation in accordance with section 4-4(b) must be registered with and obtain a permit from the police department.
(b)
Registration and permit applications shall be made by the owner of the premises on the appropriate form and shall include the following information:
(1)
The name, home address and telephone number of the owner.
(2)
The name, address and telephone number of the alarm company which services and maintains the alarm system, if the alarm is not serviced or maintained by the owner and/or
(3)
The name, address and telephone numbers of at least two emergency contact people who can gain entrance to the property and turn off the alarm system, which information shall be updated yearly.
(c)
At the time of registration, a subscriber shall pay a registration fee, the cost of which shall be determined by the town council. The police chief shall issue a permit if the application is complete and signed, all fees and fines are paid and the chief determines that the alarm system meets the requirements of this chapter, any rules and regulations as may be promulgated by either or both departments and state law.
(d)
Permits may not be transferred.
(e)
The town may impose an annual fee for monitoring a direct connect alarm system interconnected to the police department and/or fire department.
(f)
Failure to comply with this section will result in a fine which shall be set and may be amended from time to time by the town council.
(Ord. No. 2001-07, 3-15-01)