[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of North Haledon 9-8-1982 by Ord. No. 9-1982 (Ch. 35 of the 1990 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Volunteer Fire Department — See Ch. 44.
Police Department — See Ch. 107.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 295.
Noise — See Ch. 406.
The Mayor and Council of the Borough of North Haledon finds that the existence within the Borough of external audible alarm systems which do not contain automatic cutoff systems permits the continuing emission of loud alarm signals without termination and that, in the event of the unavailability of those able to control and terminate the alarm, persons in the vicinity are exposed to these loud noises for lengthy, indefinite periods without means of obtaining relief; that this condition is inimical to the public health and welfare and to the well-being of persons within the Borough; and that lengthy emission of alarm signals is not necessary to the legitimate purposes of the property owner or occupant. The Mayor and Council further finds that many residents and commercial entities have installed burglar, fire and other warning devices within their residences or buildings with the alarm wired to the Police Department, and that numerous false alarms from said devices requiring police response cause unnecessary expense to the Police Department and the unproductive diversion of police personnel and equipment from their public safety function within the Borough.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations concerning the operations and maintenance of certain alarm systems within the Borough of North Haledon and to provide penalties for violations of any of the provisions set forth herein.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM DEVICE
Any type of alarm-actuating equipment which provides warning of intrusion, fire, smoke, burglary, flood or like perils, including dial alarms (devices using normal telephone lines transmitting notification by telephone directly to the police headquarters) and direct alarms (devices using telephone lines terminating in an alarm panel located in police headquarters).
ALARM PANEL
That component installed in police headquarters containing alarm indications and designations.
ALARM SYSTEM
The installation in one or more buildings of one or more alarm devices for the express purposes of giving visual or audible warning, or both, of an emergency such as a burglary, intrusion, fire, smoke, flood or like peril.
AUDIBLE ALARM
A device that emits an audible signal from the premises that it is designed to protect.
COMMERCIAL BUILDING
A building which houses a trade, profession or business entity(ies) and is not used for residential purposes.
[Added 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 24-1992]
FALSE ALARM
An alarm signal necessitating response by the North Haledon Police or Fire Department where an emergency situation does not exist.
INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING
A building which houses more than 10 individuals for the purpose of providing living quarters, meals, medical services and recreation.
[Added 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 24-1992]
PERSON
Any natural person, partnership, corporation, association or other legal entity.
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING
A building which houses one or more persons for the purpose(s) of providing living quarters for a family.
[Added 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 24-1992]
All external audible alarms shall be equipped with a timing device that will automatically silence the external audible alarm within 15 minutes after it is actuated.
A. 
It shall be the responsibility of all persons maintaining an alarm system within the Borough to leave with the Police Department the name of a person or persons who can be reached in case of an emergency or malfunction of the alarm device in order that the device can be temporarily disconnected. In lieu thereof, this requirement may be fulfilled by leaving a tagged key to the premises with the Chief of Police of the Borough, provided that, in so doing, the owner thereby releases the Borough of North Haledon and the Police Department from any claims of damage or loss in connection with said action.
B. 
Persons having an alarm device which is being tested or repaired shall notify the Police Department before tests or repairs commence and after completion of same so as to avoid the possibility of activating a false alarm.
A. 
Prevention. It shall be the responsibility of all persons maintaining an alarm system within the Borough to prevent the transmission of false alarms through a program of training and periodic inspection and maintenance of the system.
B. 
Notification and investigations.
(1) 
In the case of a false fire alarm, any person having knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Fire Department, in which case the Fire Chief shall cause an investigation to be made and be kept on file as a record of the false alarm.
(2) 
In the case of all other false alarms, the Police Chief shall be notified and cause an investigation to be made and be kept on file as a record of the false alarm.
[Amended 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 24-1992]
C. 
Penalties for false alarms in residential and commercial buildings.
[Amended 5-9-1990 by Ord. No. 5-1990; 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 24-1992[1]]
(1) 
For the first, second and third false alarms in any given calendar year, a warning shall be issued.
(2) 
For the fourth through tenth false alarms in any given calendar year, a fine as provided in Chapter 275, Fees, shall be imposed.
(3) 
After the tenth false alarm, a fine as provided in Chapter 275, Fees, shall be imposed, and, in addition thereto, an investigation shall be conducted by the Police Department. Where the investigation discloses continued abusive or negligent operation or maintenance of an alarm device and a disregard for the taking of remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the Police Chief may require disconnection of the device for a limited or permanent period; provided, however, that the owner or user of the device shall be given adequate notice of the intended disconnection and shall have an opportunity to show cause before the Mayor and Council why such action should not be taken.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
D. 
Penalties for false alarms in institutional buildings.
[Added 9-16-1992 by Ord. No. 24-1992[2]]
(1) 
For the first, second and third false alarms in any given calendar year, a warning shall be issued.
(2) 
For the fourth through tenth false alarms in any given calendar year, a fine as provided in Chapter 275, Fees, shall be imposed.
(3) 
After the tenth false alarm, a fine as provided in Chapter 275, Fees, shall be imposed, and, in addition thereto, an investigation shall be conducted by the Fire Department. Where the investigation discloses continued abusive or negligent operation or maintenance of an alarm device and a disregard for the taking of remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the Fire Chief may require disconnection of the device for a limited or permanent period; provided, however, that the owner or user of the device shall be given adequate notice of the intended disconnection and shall have an opportunity to show cause before the Mayor and Council why such action should not be taken.
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended 5-9-1990 by Ord. No. 5-1990[1]]
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter, except § 190-6, governing repeated false alarms and penalties therefor, shall, for each offense, be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, General Penalty. Each incident shall be considered a separate violation.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to alarm systems placed in service prior to or subsequent to the effective date of this chapter; provided, however, that persons responsible for existing alarm devices shall have 30 days from the effective date of this chapter to provide to the Police Department the information required by § 190-5 and shall have 90 days from the effective date of this chapter to equip any nonconforming audible alarm device with the automatic silencing mechanism required by § 190-4.