[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Barre 6-22-2009 ATM, Art.
18. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Noncriminal disposition of violations — See Ch. 67.
A.
This
chapter shall be known as the "Alarm System Bylaw" and shall regulate
alarms which cause a message to be transmitted to the Police or Fire
Departments.
B.
The
purpose of this chapter is to encourage alarm users to maintain the
operational reliability of their alarm systems, to reduce or eliminate
false alarm dispatch requests, to establish a system of regulations
and fees with respect to alarm systems, and to provide for penalties
for violations of this chapter.
No alarm user shall operate, or cause to be operated, an alarm
system without a valid permit issued in accordance with this chapter.
A separate permit is required for each alarm site. There will be a
one-time fee of $25 for a permit of an alarm site.
A.
The
alarm user shall maintain the alarm site and alarm system in a manner
that will minimize or eliminate false alarm dispatches.
B.
The
alarm user shall make every reasonable effort to respond or cause
a representative to respond within one-half hour, when notified, to
deactivate a malfunctioning alarm system or to provide access to the
alarm site.
C.
The
alarm user shall adjust the mechanism or cause the mechanism to be
adjusted so that an alarm signal audible on the exterior of an alarm
site will sound for no longer than 15 minutes after being activated.
D.
The
alarm business performing monitoring services shall attempt to verify
every alarm signal, except a duress or hold-up alarm activation, before
requesting a police response to an alarm signal.
E.
An
alarm system does not include an alarm installed in a vehicle or an
alarm designed to alert only the inhabitants of a premises that does
not have a sound device which can be heard on the exterior of the
alarm site.
F.
Automatic
dialers to the Police or Fire Departments are prohibited.
G.
The
Police or Fire Departments shall not serve as alarm monitors.
A.
Effective
July 1, 2009, an alarm user shall be subject to warnings and fines
depending on the number of false alarm dispatches emitted from an
alarm system within the fiscal year, based on the following schedule:
|
Number of False Alarm Dispatches
|
Action Taken
|
Fine
| |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Warning
|
None
| |
|
2
|
Warning
|
None
| |
|
3
|
3rd offense
|
$50
| |
|
4
|
4th offense
|
$75
| |
|
5
|
5th and subsequent
|
$100
|
B.
Any
persons operating an alarm system without a permit issued in accordance
with this chapter shall be subject to an additional fine of $100 for
each false alarm dispatch.
C.
An
alarm dispatch request caused by a criminal offense, a fire or other
emergency, or an alarm resulting solely from power outages or extreme
weather conditions shall not be counted as a false alarm dispatch.
D.
All
fines and fees resulting from the enforcement of the provisions of
this chapter shall be collected in the form of a personal check, money
order or registered check, made payable to the Town of Barre and forwarded
to the Police Department.
E.
State
and municipal entities and nonprofit organizations shall be exempt
from the provisions of this chapter.
F.
All
fines shall be paid within 21 days of receipt of a noncriminal violation
notice.
A.
Except
as otherwise required by law, the information furnished and secured
pursuant to this chapter shall be confidential in character and shall
not be subject to public inspection.
B.
The
alarm user may appeal the decision of the alarm administrator to the
Town Administrator or designee by filing a written request for a review
within 10 days after receipt of a noncriminal violation notice. The
Town Administrator or designee shall conduct a hearing and render
a written decision within 30 days. The decision of the Town Administrator
or designee shall be final.
C.
The
Chief of Police shall serve as the alarm administrator to: administer,
control and review alarm applications, permits, and alarm dispatch
requests, develop a procedure to accept verified cancellation of alarm
dispatch requests, promulgate such regulations as may be necessary
or required to implement this chapter.
