Township of Marlboro, NJ Article III Direct Connection of alarm system to Division of Police Digital Alarm Console

§ 76-9 Connection to digital alarm console.

An alarm system located within the Township of Marlboro may be directly connected to the digital alarm console, provided that the alarm system is a digital alarm that is compatible with the digital alarm console and meets the minimum specifications established by the Division of Police and further provided that the direct connection of an alarm system will not cause an undue burden on the limited resources of the Township or otherwise endanger the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Township, as determined by the Police Chief.

§ 76-10 Procedures for connection to digital alarm console.

A. No alarm system shall be connected to the digital alarm console without the approval of the Police Chief.

B. No alarm system shall be connected to the digital alarm console unless it uses Digital Dialer Technology and plain old telephone lines (POTS) and/or public switch telephone network (PSTN).

C. The Police Chief may approve the connection of an alarm system directly to the digital alarm console after the Police Chief determines that the connection of the alarm system to the digital alarm console will not cause an undue burden on the limited resources of the Township or otherwise endanger the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Township.

D. No alarm system shall be connected to the digital alarm console if it is technologically incompatible with the digital alarm console.

E. An alarm system owner must fill out a digital alarm console permit application provided by the Division of Police that at a minimum requests the following information:

(1) Name, complete address (including apartment or room number), and telephone number (including home phone number, cell phone number and office phone number, if applicable) of the owner of the alarm system.

(2) Complete address (including apartment or room number) of the alarm system, if it differs from the address of the alarm system owner.

(3) Name, complete address (including apartment or room number), and telephone number of the alarm business that is under contract with the alarm system owner to maintain the alarm system, if applicable.

(4) Description of the manufacturer, model and type of alarm system, including the types of circumstances that are alarmed, i.e., burglar, fire or medical condition at a commercial, residential or other location.

(5) Any dangerous or special conditions present at the location where the alarm system is used.

(6) Names and telephone numbers of two individuals who are able to, and have agreed to, receive notification from the Township when the alarm system is activated and who have further agreed to respond to the alarm system location within 20 minutes of a request from the Township, and who can gain access or grant access to the alarm system location for the purpose of responding to the alarm or deactivating the alarm system, if necessary.

(7) The type of business activity conducted at the alarm system location, if applicable.

(8) Date of installation of the alarm system, if known.

(9) Name of alarm business that provided installation of alarm system, if known.

(10) Statement by the owner of the alarm system that he/she/it has received and maintained a copy of the operating instructions for the alarm system. If the permit application is made by an alarm business on behalf of the owner, the alarm business shall certify that it has provided the owner of the alarm system with the operating instructions for the alarm system and that it has also trained the alarm system owner in the proper use of the alarm system.

(11) An acknowledgement of receipt of a copy of the Township's regulations concerning false alarms.

(12) Indication of whether or not the alarm system owner has ever had an alarm system permit revoked.

(13) An acknowledgement that false statements made by the applicant for the purpose of obtaining a digital alarm console permit shall be sufficient cause to refuse to issue a permit, and to pursue all available civil and criminal remedies against the applicant.

(14) An acknowledgement that the applicant must advise the Division of Police of any material change in circumstance that alters the information provided in the application within five business days of a change.

(15) An acknowledgement that the applicant must pay any outstanding fees or penalties established by this chapter prior to the issuance of a digital alarm console permit.

(16) Proof, if required due to false alarms, of the inspection and correction of any defects or malfunctions in the alarm system.

F. Digital alarm console permit fees shall be paid at the time of application as follows:

(1) A digital alarm console permit application fee of $25 per alarm system connected; and

(2) A digital alarm console annual permit fee of $270 per alarm system for each alarm system that emits a signal directly to the digital alarm console.

G. No digital alarm console fees shall be paid by the Township of Marlboro for any of its facilities, including but not limited to the Marlboro Swim Club, nor shall the Marlboro Board of Education be required to pay any digital alarm console fees for its facilities in the Township of Marlboro; nor shall any digital alarm console fees be paid by the volunteer fire companies, first aid or rescue squads in Marlboro Township. In addition, no digital alarm console fees shall be paid by any facility with an educational use or church use located within the Township, as the terms "church" and "educational use" are defined in § 220-4 of the Code.

§ 76-11 Authorized disconnection of alarm system from digital alarm console.

A. If an alarm system proves to be technologically incompatible with the digital alarm console after issuance of the digital alarm console permit, the Police Chief shall revoke the digital alarm console permit, order the disconnection of the alarm system from the digital alarm console and issue a refund to the registrant.

B. A digital alarm console permit shall expire on December 31 of the year it is issued. An alarm system owner shall file an application for renewal of a digital alarm console permit prior to the expiration date of the permit. Failure to renew a digital alarm console permit within 30 days of expiration of the permit will result in the alarm system being disconnected from the digital alarm console by the Division of Police.

C. Every owner of an alarm system connected to the digital alarm console shall maintain the alarm system, or cause the alarm system to be maintained in a manner that minimizes or eliminates false alarms which are a burden on the limited resources of the Township. Failure to so maintain an alarm system connected to the digital alarm console shall result in the alarm system being disconnected from the digital alarm console by the Division of Police.

D. If the Division of Police determines that the alarm system connected to the digital alarm console is defective, or malfunctioning, it may order the alarm system owner to have the alarm system inspected by an alarm system business that will provide a certification that the defect or malfunction has been corrected. Failure to have the alarm system inspected pursuant to an order from the Division of Police shall result in the alarm system being disconnected from the digital alarm console by the Division of Police.

E. If the Division of Police determines that the alarm system connected to the digital alarm console is being operated by the alarm system owner or authorized users in a manner that is detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the general public, or in a manner that is causing an unnecessary diversion of limited police resources, then the Division of Police shall order that the alarm system owner or authorized users provide proof of training or retraining from an alarm business or alarm monitoring business. If the registrant fails to provide proof of training or retraining, or if training or retraining measures do not eliminate the operation of the alarm system in a manner that is detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the general public, or in a manner that is causing an unnecessary diversion of limited police resources, then the Division of Police shall revoke the digital alarm console permit and disconnect the alarm system from the digital alarm console.

§ 76-12 Obligations of owner with alarm system connected to digital alarm console.

A. The provisions of Article II of this chapter shall apply equally to owners of alarm systems connected to the digital alarm console.

B. Owners of alarms systems connected to the digital alarm console shall as a condition of issuance of the digital alarm console permit execute an agreement indemnifying and holding the Township of Marlboro and the Township of Marlboro Division of Police harmless for any and all damages or losses suffered by persons or to property arising out of the issuance of the digital alarm console permit and the connection of the alarm system to the digital alarm console.

§ 76-13 Obligations of Division of Police.

A. The Police Chief shall promulgate forms, rules and regulations necessary to implement the purposes of this chapter.

B. The Township shall have no obligation or duty to inspect or maintain any alarm system in the Township of Marlboro, whether or not said alarm system is connected to the digital alarm console.

C. The Police Chief shall discontinue the issuance of digital alarm console permits if he or she determines that the connection of alarm systems directly to the digital alarm console has caused a condition that is detrimental to the health, safety and welfare of the general public, or an unacceptable diversion of limited police resources.

D. The issuance of an alarm system permit or a digital alarm console permit by the Division of Police shall not create any duty or obligation for the Township of Marlboro to the alarm system owner or any user or beneficiary of the alarm system.