[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Village of Ridgefield Park 9-8-1981 by Ord. No. 11-81 (Ch.
167 of the 1985 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any secondhand item of gold, silver or other metal or gem
in any form purchased or sold by a dealer in the course of business.
Any person, partnership, corporation or other entity, whether
permanent or itinerant, who buys and sells secondhand gold, silver
or other precious metals or gems in any form in the Village of Ridgefield
Park.
A.
Each dealer conducting business in the Village of
Ridgefield Park shall first obtain a license therefor, which license
shall bear a number issued by the Village Clerk and shall be prominently
displayed within the licensed premises.
B.
Application for such license shall be obtained from
the Chief of Police and shall be accompanied by a license fee of $25
for each premises at which business is to be conducted.
C.
All licenses shall expire on December 31 in each year,
and such licenses shall not be transferable.
D.
The license application shall contain the following
information: name of applicant; permanent home address of applicant;
name and address of firm represented (if applicable) and a letter
of authorization from the firm represented; fingerprints of applicant.
E.
The Chief of Police shall have a reasonable period
of time in which to verify the information in the application and
to investigate the applicant and shall signify his approval or rejection
on the reverse side of the form and transmit same to the Village Board
of Commissioners.
F.
If the Police Chief recommends denial of the license,
the ground for such recommendation shall be stated. Upon receipt of
the recommendation of the Chief of Police, the Board of Commissioners
shall issue or deny the license accordingly.
A.
Each dealer shall maintain a complete record of each
article received by him, together with the amount paid and the name,
residence address and age of the person from whom the item was purchased
or received, and shall furnish to the seller a receipt therefor.
B.
Each dealer shall also maintain a record of the name
and address of each person to whom the dealer sells an article and
the condition of the article when sold.
C.
These records shall be maintained for a period of
one year from the date of the transaction and shall at all times be
available for inspection by any police officer of the Village of Ridgefield
Park.
D.
The records required by this section shall be maintained
by each dealer in a separate bound volume maintained specifically
for this purpose. Each transaction shall be assigned a number in sequence
in which it occurred and shall promptly be listed in the book according
to its number with the required information.
E.
Each dealer shall record and maintain a photo image
of each person transacting with the dealer for the purchase or sale
of articles as defined in this chapter.
F.
Each dealer shall complete a card provided by the
Police Department on each item obtained during the course of business.
Such cards will require the following information where applicable:
G.
Item cards shall be picked up from the licensed dealer
by a member of the Police Department on a daily basis, whenever possible.
A.
Each dealer shall require identification of the person
buying or selling each article, and no transaction may be made with
any person under the age of 18 years without the written authorization
of said minor's parent or legal guardian.
B.
No dealer may sell, melt, change the form so as to
render the article unidentifiable or dispose of any article of gold,
silver or secondhand jewelry bought or received by him within 10 days
after said article is received.
C.
All articles obtained must be available for inspection
by a member of the Police Department upon request.
D.
Police personnel may, in the performance of their
duties, place a "temporary stop" on any particular item or items if
such items are the basis of an investigation or if the Police Department
has reasonable cause to believe that such items are stolen property.
A temporary stop shall have a duration of 15 days and not be renewable.
The Chief of Police or his designee shall have the power to release
items placed on temporary stop. During a temporary stop, the item
or items will be maintained in their original state and not otherwise
altered or changed.
A.
Licenses issued under this chapter may be revoked
by the Village Board of Commissioners, after hearing on notice, for
fraud, misrepresentation or false statements either in the license
application or in the course of business or for the violation of any
provision of this chapter, or upon conviction of the dealer for any
crime or disorderly person offense involving moral turpitude, or if
the dealer's business is conducted in a manner which constitutes a
breach of the peace or a menace to the health, safety or general public
welfare.
B.
Notice of hearing for revocation of a license shall
be given in writing to the dealer by the Village Clerk, setting forth
specifically the grounds upon which the complaint is made and setting
forth the time and place of hearing, and shall be mailed to the licensee
at his last known address at least five days prior to the date set
for hearing.
