[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of the Township of Chartiers 4-23-2019 by Ord. No. 383. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
The following words, terms or phrases, when used in this chapter,
shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this chapter.
A communication to a public safety agency indicating that
a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by the
public safety agency has occurred or is occurring.
Device designed to automatically transmit an alarm:
A device which is interconnected to a telephone line and
preprogrammed to transmit the coded signal of an alarm to a dedicated
telephone trunk line or to dial a predetermined telephone number to
an alarm to a public safety agency.
The "911" or centralized communication center or centers,
including "911" system for the geographic area of Chartiers Township
for the purposes of transmitting an emergency communication or alarm
device.
An alarm to which police, fire, or other emergency service
personnel respond resulting from the activation of an alarm device
when a crime, fire, or other emergency warranting immediate action
has not in fact occurred or is occurring.
The Chartiers Township Volunteer Fire Department or any mutual
aid fire department responding within Chartiers Township.
Any individual, syndicate, association, partnership, firm,
corporation, trust, estate, institution, agency, authority or other
entity recognized by law as the subject of rights and duties.
The Chartiers Township Police Department or any mutual aid
police department responding within Chartiers Township.
Includes the Police Department, Fire Department, Pennsylvania
State Police or any mutual aid Police or Fire Department responding
within Chartiers Township.
A.Â
Any persons who cause or allow to occur a false alarm to which the
Police Department or Fire Department respond in any calendar year
shall pay a service charge to in accordance with the false alarm service
fees as may be established by resolution of the Chartiers Township
Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors may, by resolution,
change from time to time the fees authorized by the section.
C.Â
Payment.
(1)Â
False alarm charges shall be due to the Township within 30 days of
the date of mailing on the notice of fees due from the Township.
(2)Â
Failure of the Township to mail a notice of fees due within one year
from the date of the occurrence of the false alarm shall preclude
the Township from assessing the subject false alarm charge.
D.Â
Failure to pay. Any entity, property owner, lessee or person cause
a false alarm who shall violate any provision of this part or who
shall fail to pay a charge for a false alarm, upon conviction thereof
in an action brought before a District Judge in the manner provided
for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules
of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more
than $300 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs,
to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation
of this part continues or each section of this part which shall be
found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
E.Â
All remedies set forth in this chapter are cumulative and the failure
to pursue any one of said remedies does not constitute a waiver of
said remedy or any other remedy. Nothing in this section shall prohibit
the prosecution of false alarms pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 7511,
as may be amended.
The service charges implemented in this chapter shall not be
imposed for a period of one month. The one month grace period shall
begin on the effective date of this chapter and at the completion
of this grace period any violation of this chapter shall be enforced
in accordance with this chapter.
