[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners (now Municipal
Council) of the Borough of Hawthorne 2-15-1989 by Ord. No. 1482; amended
in its entirety 5-7-2003 by Ord. No. 1808 (Ch. 57 of the 1989 Code).
Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Includes any and all preprogrammed or automatic dialing attachments
or radio reporting devices or any other type of equipment which is
utilized to report to the Fire or Police Departments over the telephone
wires and any message, alarm signal or transmission.
[Amended 6-6-2007 by Ord.
No. 1902-07]
No person, firm or corporation shall install or cause to be
installed any automatic alarm dialing equipment except as heretofore
provided by this chapter. Said registration shall include the type
of device utilized, including brand name or manufacturers thereof,
serial number, type of device, from whom purchased, method of operation
of said device, provisions relating to false alarms and testing procedures,
a list of persons to be contacted in the event of an alarm and any
other information as may be required by the Municipal Council or its
agent.
Registration will be required of all persons, firms or corporation
having installed said automatic dialing equipment prior to the effective
date of this chapter. Registration shall be renewed on an annual basis.
A dial alarm or any alarm device which, when activated automatically
or electronically, selects a telephone line connected to Hawthorne
Police Headquarters, reporting by a prerecorded message requesting
fire or police assistance, shall conform to the following regulations:
A.
Dial alarms shall be coded to dial a special separate number designated
by the Chief of Police or his agent. No such devices shall be connected
to or set up to dial regular police headquarters telephone lines.
B.
Prerecorded messages must be approved by the Chief of Police or his
agent. The total length of the alarm message must not exceed 15 seconds.
The alarm message shall be transmitted at least two times, but no
more than three times.
C.
The dialing alarm device must be provided with an automatic line
seizure feature in the event that the special number is busy with
another alarm call.
D.
Preexisting devices. In the event that any person, firm or corporation
has a dial alarm device in existence at the time of the date of the
adoption of this chapter, he shall, within 30 days, register said
device and pay the annual fee.
E.
Maintenance. All components of such equipment must be maintained
by the owner and kept in good repair. Where evidence exists that there
has been a failure to comply with the operational requirement of this
chapter, the Chief of Police or his agent shall demand that such device
be disconnected until such time as compliance.
F.
Registration fee. Every person, firm or corporation utilizing a dial alarm device shall register the same with the Borough Clerk and renew such registration on an annual basis. Upon the filing of said registration or renewal thereof, the permittee shall pay to the Borough of Hawthorne an annual fee for the privilege of connecting said equipment in the sum as set forth in Chapter 220, Fees, no portion of which shall be prorated or refundable. Should any such fee be delinquent for 30 days, the Municipal Clerk shall notify the permittee, in writing, that such system or equipment is in violation of this chapter.
A.
In case of a false alarm or malfunction of any equipment, any person
having knowledge shall immediately notify the Police Department within
one minute after the receipt of the alarm to avoid a false alarm being
credited to the alarm user. In addition, in case of a false alarm,
the Chief of Police or his agent shall cause an investigation to be
made and keep a record of said alarms on file.
B.
In the event that a malfunction or false alarm shall occur in the
equipment, the following penalties shall be assessed for each malfunction:
C.
It shall be unlawful to operate an audible alarm system which does
not shut off within a maximum time of 15 minutes from the time of
activation.
[Amended 6-6-2007 by Ord.
No. 1902-07]
In addition to the revocation of the license or permit of any
person, firm or corporation who fails to comply with the provisions
of this chapter, such person, firm or corporation may, if found guilty
of such violation, be subject to a fine not to exceed $2,000 or imprisonment
for a term not to exceed 90 days or a requirement to perform community
service for a period not to exceed 90 days. In the case of a continuing
violation, the violator may be found guilty of as many separate offenses
as the number of days he is proved to have continued the violation.
