[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Mansfield by Ord. No. 5-84 (§ 4-7 of the 1975 General
Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to alleviate
conditions which lead to an unnecessary drain and use on the manpower,
time, space, facilities and finances of the Township of Mansfield
and of the police and fire departments.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to
any person other than the Township who operates, maintains or owns
any alarm device designed to summon the Police, Fire Department or
other municipal agency to any location in response to any type of
alarm signal.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any type of alarm, actuating equipment which provides warning
of intrusion, fire, smoke, burglary, flood or like peril.
The installment in one or more buildings of one or more alarm
devices for the express purpose of giving visual or audible warning,
or both, of an emergency such as burglary, intrusion, fire, smoke,
flood or like perils.
An alarm device that employs an automatic dialing system
with an automatic cutoff, precoded to connect with a telephone system
used by the Police and Fire Departments operating in the Township.
The activation of an alarm system by causes other than those
to which the alarm system was designed or intended to respond.
A.
All components of alarm systems, alarm devices and
dial alarms shall be maintained by the owners or users thereof in
good repair. When evidence exists that there has been a failure by
such owners or users to properly maintain the alarm devices, the Police
Chief is authorized to demand that such devices be disconnected from
the telephone system used by the Police and Fire Departments until
such time as appropriate repairs and/or modifications are made.
B.
All dial alarms shall be registered with the Chief
of Police.
C.
No person shall maintain or operate any dial alarm
except in conformance with this section.
A.
No dial alarm shall be permitted unless:
(1)
It shall first have been approved by the Chief of
Police after proof has been submitted that said dial alarm has been
approved by the Federal Communications Commission and the performance
of a test alarm conducted by the applicant.
(2)
It shall first have been registered with the Police
Department as hereinafter required.
(3)
The applicant consents to the inspection of the premises
where the alarm is located during working hours or other mutually
agreeable times.
(4)
The applicant maintains at police headquarters the
name, telephone number and address of a relative, neighbor or other
third party who can be contacted by the Police Department in case
of an alarm.
B.
All dial alarms shall be coded to dial a special number
of the Mansfield Township Police and/or Fire Departments when designated
or provided by the Chief of Police.
C.
All dial alarms shall be capable of being disconnected
by the owner or his designee to permit a call to the Police Department
in the event that a false alarm occurs.
D.
The owner of each dial alarm system shall pay to the
Township an annual fee of $25 to cover the cost of registration and
other costs incurred by the Township.
E.
The owner of dial alarms shall be governed by the false alarm procedures and penalties set forth in § 111-6.
F.
If any person has a dial alarm in existence at the
time of the passage of this chapter, he shall have 60 days in which
to program the equipment to comply with the terms of this chapter.
G.
No dial alarm shall dial a telephone number other
than the number designated for dial alarms as specified by the Chief
of Police.
H.
The sensory mechanism of dial alarms shall be adjusted
so as to suppress false indications and not to be actuated by impulses
due to, among other things, pressure changes in water pipes, short
flashes of light, wind, noises, rattling or vibration of doors or
windows or other forces unrelated to general alarms.
I.
All components of dial alarms shall be maintained
by the owner or his designee in good repair. When evidence exists
that there has been failure to comply with the operation requirements
of this section, the Chief of Police is then authorized to demand
that such device be disconnected until such time as compliance with
such requirements is reestablished, and any person violating the operation
or registration requirements of this section shall be subject to the
penalties set forth herein.
A.
False alarm investigations. In the case of false alarms
which summon the Police or Fire Department to investigate, the Police
Chief shall cause an investigation to be made and shall keep a record
of such false alarms on file.
B.
Penalties for unintentional false alarms. In any twelve-month
period, the following penalties shall apply:
(1)
For the first and second false alarms, a warning shall
be issued.
(2)
For the third, fourth and fifth false alarms, a fine
of $50 shall be imposed for each such false alarm.
(3)
For the sixth and any subsequent false alarm, a fine
of $75 shall be imposed for each said false alarm.
(4)
In the event of a sixth or subsequent false alarm,
an investigation shall be conducted by the Police Department. Where
the investigation of the Police Department 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.
C.
Penalties for intentional false alarms. Any individual who intentionally causes or assists in causing a false alarm or fire or other emergency to be given in any manner shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to the penalties as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, General Penalty, of this Code.
