[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the Borough
of Lititz 5-26-1998 by Ord. No. C-406, approved 5-26-1998. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards
and regulations for various types of intrusion, burglar, fire and
other emergency alarm devices which require response thereto by the
Police Department, Fire Department and other municipal agencies.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to
any person who operates, maintains or owns any alarm device, dial
alarm or local alarm designed to summon the police, Fire Department
and other local municipal agencies to any location in response to
an alarm signal.
For purposes of this chapter, the following
terms are defined as follows:
The console or control panel of devices giving a visual or
audio response, or both, and located within the confines of Lancaster
County Control or elsewhere.
Any type of alarm system actuating equipment in the alarm
console providing warning of intrusion, fire, smoke, flood or other
peril.
An alarm device, dial alarm or local alarm or any combination
thereof.
That type of a device using telephone lines transmitting
an alarm directly to Lancaster County Control or other approved site.
Any alarm actuated by inadvertence, negligence or unintentional
act of someone other than any intruder and shall include, but not
be limited to, alarms caused by malfunctioning of the alarm system
or other relevant equipment. The term shall not include alarms caused
by malfunction of the alarm console.
Any alarm or device which, when activated, produces a signal
not connecting to the alarm console, such as a store or home burglar
alarm actuating a bell or horn device.
Deemed to include any natural person, sole proprietorship,
partnership, association or corporation.
In the case of a false alarm, any person having
knowledge thereof shall immediately notify the Lititz Borough Police
Department in a manner to be prescribed by rules and regulation of
the Lititz Borough Police Department. In addition, in the case of
false alarms, the Borough Police Chief or his designee shall cause
an investigation to be made and shall keep a record of said false
alarms on file. For such false alarms, Borough Council prescribes
the following penalties:
A.
For the third false alarm in any given calendar year,
a warning shall be issued.
B.
For the fourth false alarm in any given calendar year,
the Borough Police Chief or his designee shall notify the person occupying
the premises upon which the alarm system is located that a false alarm
has been received and that any further false alarms during the same
calendar year will result in penalties as set forth in this chapter.
C.
For the fifth false alarm received in the same calendar
year, an administrative fee of $25, payable to Lititz Borough, shall
be imposed. The administrative fee hereby imposed shall be payable
in lieu of a fine hereinafter imposed by this chapter.
D.
For the sixth false alarm received in the same calendar
year, an administrative fee of $50, payable to Lititz Borough, shall
be imposed. The administrative fee hereby imposed shall be payable
in lieu of a fine hereinafter imposed by this chapter.
E.
For the seventh and any subsequent false alarms received
in the same calendar year, an administrative fee of $100, payable
to Lititz Borough, shall be imposed. The administrative fee hereby
imposed shall be payable in lieu of a fine hereinafter imposed by
this chapter.
Notice shall be given by the Borough Police
Chief or his designee to the person occupying the premises upon which
the alarm system is located by mailing a copy of the notice, certified
mail, return-receipt requested, to such person at the address where
the alarm system is located. A notice may also be given by personal
service of the notice by handing a copy of the same to the occupant
of the premises upon which the alarm system is located or to an adult
resident thereof or an employee located thereon. If the service is
made by personal service, the Borough Police Chief or his designee
shall file a proof of service which shall be under oath and which
shall designate the person and title upon whom service was made.
Any person found guilty of violating the terms
of this chapter or any person who shall fail to pay the administrative
fee for false alarms in excess of four in the same calendar year shall,
upon conviction thereof by summary proceedings, be subject to a fine
of not more than $300 and costs of prosecution and, in default of
payment of such fine and costs, to imprisonment in the Lancaster County
Prison for not more than 30 days, or both.
In the event that any provision, section, sentence,
clause or part of this chapter shall be held invalid, such invalidity
shall not affect or impair any remaining provision, section, sentence,
clauses or part of this chapter, it being the intent of the Borough
of Lititz that such remainder shall be and shall remain in full force
and effect.
