The text
ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL#
Secs. 18-1—18-20. - Reserved.#
ARTICLE II. - ALARM SYSTEMS#
Footnotes:
--- (1) --- State Law reference— Burglar alarm system businesses, G.L. 1956, § 5-57-1 et seq.; fire alarm systems, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.25-1 et seq.
DIVISION 1. - GENERALLY#
Sec. 18-21. - Purpose of article.#
The purpose of this article is to protect the police, fire and ambulance services of the town from misuse.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-2; Code 2003, § 18-21)
Sec. 18-22. - Definitions.#
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Alarm system, system or device means any equipment or assembly of equipment, of whatever nature, designed to detect and signal an unauthorized intrusion into or upon a premises, to signal an attempted burglary or robbery at a premises, or a fire in or upon premises, with respect to which signal police or firefighting personnel, or both, are expected to respond.
Alarm user and user mean any person, group of persons, association, firm, partnership, corporation or any organization of any kind, in ownership, possession or control of any building, structure or facility, including vehicles, vessels, campers or trailers, wherein or whereupon such system is maintained or installed for activation in the event of any unauthorized intrusion, burglary or robbery, or of fire, in, upon, or at such building, structure or facility.
Audible-visual alarm means any device designed for the protection from unauthorized entry on premises or fire thereon, which generates an external audible sound or flashing light, or both, when it is activated.
Automatic dialing device means a device which is interconnected to a telephone line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number and transmit, by voice, message or code signal, an emergency message indicating a need for emergency response.
False alarm and alarm mean any alarm or signal through the activation of such system when no intrusion, burglary or robbery, or an attempted intrusion, burglary or robbery exists, or no fire exists. The term shall include any alarm or signal occasioned by a malfunction or other defect in the system and by any intentional act of the user or by any agent, servant or employee of the user, or by any member of the user's household or any other person lawfully having access to such system. It shall not include a signal caused by acts of nature or other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to the control of the alarm user.
Interconnect means to connect an alarm system, including an automatic dialing device, to a telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device, that utilizes a telephone for the purpose of using a telephone line to transmit a message upon the activation of the system.
Primary trunk line means a telephone line servicing the police or fire departments, or both, designated to receive emergency calls.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-3; Code 2003, § 18-22)
Sec. 18-23. - Confidentiality of information.#
All statements and information relating to the installation and location of a system given to the police chief or the fire chief, or their respective designees, shall be maintained in strict confidence, and may be made public only when required in a prosecutive action resulting from the violation of any part of this article, or by order of a court of appropriate jurisdiction.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-9; Code 2003, § 18-23)
State Law reference— Access to public records, G.L. 1956, § 38-2-1 et seq.
Secs. 18-24—18-40. - Reserved.#
DIVISION 2. - PERMIT#
Sec. 18-41. - Required.#
Except as provided in this division, every alarm user shall obtain a user's permit for each system installed, or to be installed, from the office of the chief of police prior to the use of a new system. Users of systems having intrusion, burglary and robbery alarm capabilities and fire alarm capabilities shall obtain separate permits for each function.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-4(a); Code 2003, § 18-41)
Sec. 18-42. - Application procedures.#
(a)
Filing. Application for each user's permit shall be filed with the chief of police, and a fee as provided in appendix C shall be paid to the town for installation of each system.
(b)
Location. Each permit, when issued, shall be physically located upon the premises using the system and shall be available for inspection by the chief of police. No permit is assignable.
(c)
Fee exemptions. If a residential alarm user is over the age of 65 years, blind, deaf or physically handicapped to the extent that his mobility is substantially limited, is a primary resident of the residence, if no business is conducted in, upon or from such residence, a user permit shall be obtained from the chief of the police department without payment of a permit fee.
(d)
Special alarm user's permit; fee; exemptions. A user required by federal or state statute, rule or regulation to install, maintain and operate an alarm system shall be subject to this article; provided, however, that a permit issued to such user shall be designated a special alarm user's permit, and such a user shall pay the required fee. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, no fee shall be required of any unit of federal, state or municipal government.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-4(a)—(c); Code 2003, § 18-42)
Sec. 18-43. - Form.#
All requests for alarm user permits shall be on a form prepared by the town. Each permit shall bear the signature of the police chief, and shall expire on July 31 of each year.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-4(d); Code 2003, § 18-43)
Sec. 18-44. - Audible-visual alarms.#
A user utilizing an audible alarm or flashing light, or combination of the two, on the premises only, and not connected to police headquarters, shall obtain a permit. The user of such alarm shall file at police headquarters the names and telephone numbers of at least two persons who shall respond upon request of the police department with means to deactivate the alarm.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-5; Code 2003, § 18-44)
Sec. 18-45. - Not required for smoke or fire alert alarms or detectors.#
Nothing in this division shall be deemed to prohibit the installation and use of smoke detectors or fire alert detectors, designed for internal use for the protection, safety and well-being of occupants at any building, structure or facility, and no permit shall be required for the installation of such devices.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-6; Code 2003, § 18-45)
Sec. 18-46. - Central station systems not exempt from fee.#
Any system or group of systems operated for its customers by a person in which the operation of electrical protection circuits and devices are transmitted to, recorded in and maintained, supervised and monitored from a central station having trained operators, guards and attendants at all times, who have the duty to take appropriate action upon receipt of a signal or message, including the relaying of messages by direct line to the communication centers of the police department, shall not be exempt from paying any fee for a user permit.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-7; Code 2003, § 18-46)
Sec. 18-47. - Revocation for false alarms.#
More than four false alarms within any 365-day period from any alarm system for which an alarm user permit has been obtained may constitute grounds for revocation of such permit, subject to the provisions of sections 18-48—18-51.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-13(a); Code 2003, § 18-47)
Sec. 18-48. - Notification after four false alarms; hearing; appeal.#
After four false alarms have been recorded in a year, the permit holder shall be notified in writing of such fact. Such notice shall require that the permit holder report his effort to eliminate false alarms to the chief of police within 15 days. If the permit holder fails to submit a report within 15 days or of reasonable extension for good cause, the police chief may revoke the user's permit, and, under such circumstances, the user shall not be entitled to a hearing or appeal under this division.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-13(b); Code 2003, § 18-48)
Sec. 18-49. - Notice of intent to revoke or suspend.#
If the alarm user submits an unsatisfactory report, or has one or more false alarms during the same calendar year after submitting a satisfactory report, the police chief may issue written notice by registered mail of his intent to revoke or suspend the alarm user's permit.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-13(c); Code 2003, § 18-49)
Sec. 18-50. - Request for hearing; notification of time and place.#
Upon receipt of a notice of intent to revoke or suspend, the permit holder may, within ten days, submit a written request for a hearing before the police chief and the director of public safety. The chief of police shall notify the holder of the time and place of the hearing, by mail, ten days prior to the date.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-13(d); Code 2003, § 18-50)
Sec. 18-51. - Application for new permit after revocation; restrictions.#
An alarm system user whose permit has been revoked may apply for a new permit. The chief of police may impose reasonable restrictions and conditions upon issuing a new permit to an alarm user with respect to the particular system for which the permit was revoked.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-13(e); Code 2003, § 18-51)
Sec. 18-52. - False alarm fee; failure to pay.#
If more than two false alarms are received by the police department within any 365-day period, there shall be a fee as provided in appendix C charged the user for each false alarm. Failure to pay the fee shall be grounds for revocation of the permit pursuant to section 18-47.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-13(f); Code 2003, § 18-52)
Secs. 18-53—18-65. - Reserved.#
DIVISION 3. - REGULATIONS#
Footnotes:
--- (2) --- State Law reference— Fire alarm systems, G.L. 1956, § 23-28.25-1.
Sec. 18-66. - Programming automatic dialing device to primary trunk lines; compliance date.#
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to program an automatic dialing device to select a primary trunk line, as identified by the chiefs of the fire and police departments, respectively, without specific approval from such chiefs.
(b)
It shall be unlawful for an alarm user to fail to disconnect or reprogram an automatic dialing device which is designed to connect a primary trunk line, within 12 hours of receipt of written notice, which notice shall be delivered by hand or by certified mail, postage prepaid, from the chief of the police or fire department, or both, that it is so programmed. If such notice is by mail, it shall be presumed that delivery of the notice was made within 48 hours of its posting.
(c)
All automatic dialing devices programmed to select a trunk line shall be reprogrammed upon application to the police chief, or disconnected. Upon approval of reprogramming of such system, the user shall, before utilizing the reprogrammed system or device, first obtain a permit as provided in division 2 of this article.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-8(a), (b); Code 2003, § 18-66)
Sec. 18-67. - False alarms due to malfunction or defect.#
Any alarm system user who has a false alarm as a result of a malfunction or defect in such system shall undertake measures to have the system corrected or repaired within 24 hours of such false alarm, and such correction or repair shall be subject to inspection and approval by the chief of police. Until such corrective action has been completed, the system shall be disconnected by such user.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-8(c); Code 2003, § 18-67)
Sec. 18-68. - Automatic dialing devices.#
(a)
Operational requirements. Interconnection of automatic devices installed on premises of any kind in the town and keyed to a special or operational primary trunk line of the police department shall meet operational requirements as follows:
(1)
The content of the recorded message to be transmitted by such device must be intelligible and in a format approved by the chief of the police department concerned as appropriate for the nature of the alarm.
(2)
No recorded message shall be delivered to the police department more than twice as the result of a single stimulation or activation of the sensory mechanism.
(3)
The length of time for recording the transmitted message shall not exceed three minutes.
(4)
The time lapse for the delivery of the second recorded message shall be in a range from ten to 12 seconds.
(5)
Such device installed on residential and nonresidential premises must be capable of transmitting an alarm message to two or more recipients located within the town, in addition to the appropriate public safety department, authorized to gain access to the premises and who will be available to respond and who shall respond, within not less than one hour, to the message, on a 24-hour basis, to assist in the deactivation of such device.
(b)
Notice required prior to testing. No person holding a user's permit shall test any automatic dialing system without notice to the chief of police.
(Code 1982, §§ 2.5-10, 2.5-11; Code 2003, § 18-68)
Sec. 18-69. - Indicator panels restricted; compliance; exceptions.#
Only financial institutions or other institutions required by federal or state statutes, rules or regulations, and by federal or state agencies, to have appropriate security devices installed for their protection shall be permitted to have equipment and indicators installed in the communications center of the police department. Any equipment and indicators already installed therein by such institutions may remain in the communications center.
(Code 1982, § 2.5-12; Code 2003, § 18-69)