[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Borough of Bellevue 5-6-1997 by Ord. No.
97-7. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from
the context:
Any false alarm which is not an intentional false alarm,
as defined herein, or which sounds when an intrusion, crime, fire
or other emergency has not actually occurred.
An audible signal emitted by a warning device indicating
that a crime, fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate
action by the Police and/or Fire Departments has occurred or is occurring.
This definition shall include, but shall not be limited to, those
alarm devices which provide for a telephoned warning message to the
Borough Police Department or a 9-1-1 emergency dispatch center designated
for such messages.
An electrical (or electronic) or mechanical device designed
to automatically transmit an alarm by wire, telephone, radio or other
means:
To a person who is instructed to notify the Borough Police Department
or a 9-1-1 emergency dispatch center of the alarm; or
To activate a bell or sounding device to be heard outside a
building which is intended to alert the police or fire company or
others to the existence of a crime, fire or other emergency situation
warranting Police and/or Fire Department action.
Borough of Bellevue, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, and
its duly authorized agents, servants or employees.
The Borough Police Department or the 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch
Center.
An alarm to which the Police and/or Fire Departments respond,
resulting from the activation of an alarm device when a crime, fire
or other emergency warranting immediate action by the Police and/or
Fire Department has not in fact occurred.
The Borough Fire Department and/or all the members thereof,
or any other fire department authorized to act within the Borough.
A false alarm resulting from the intentional activation of
an alarm by an individual under circumstances where that individual
has no reasonable basis to believe that a crime, fire or other emergency
warranting immediate action by the Police and/or Fire Departments
has occurred or is occurring.
An individual, corporation, partnership, incorporated association
or other similar entity.
The Borough Police Department and all the members thereof,
or any other police officer authorized to act within the Borough.
An alarm device designed to transmit a notice over regular
telephone lines: 1) to a person who is instructed to notify the Borough
Police Department or a 9-1-1 emergency dispatch center; or 2) directly
to the Borough Police Department or a 9-1-1 emergency dispatch center.
A.Â
All alarm devices, as defined in § 66-1 of this chapter, shall be registered with the Borough, on a form provided by the Borough, within 30 days after installation. Said form is herewith attached and made a part of this chapter.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: The referenced registration form is on
file in the Borough office.
B.Â
All alarm devices in use at the time of the adoption of this chapter
shall be registered with the Borough within 60 days from the date
of adoption of this chapter. All such preexisting alarm devices shall
conform with all provisions of this chapter.
C.Â
Registration of alarm devices with the Borough shall in no way increase
or extend the liability of the Borough, Police and/or Fire Departments
in the areas of response or place of response to the property covered
by the alarm device beyond those liabilities normally associated with
situations of a similar nature on properties without such alarm devices.
[Amended 1-4-2010 by Ord. No. 09-13]
D.Â
Testing of registered alarm devices shall be permitted on a periodic
basis upon proper notification, subject to the approval of the responding
agency, without penalty under the provisions of this chapter.
A.Â
Intentional false alarms. No person shall create an intentional false
alarm.
B.Â
Accidental false alarm/intentional false alarm. Any person causing
an intentional false alarm or an accidental false alarm for any reason
shall pay to the Borough a fee for each and every such false alarm
to which the Police and/or Fire Department respond in each calendar
year, in such amounts as established or adjusted from time to time
by resolution of the Town Council.
[Amended 12-28-2010 by Ord. No. 10-17[1]]
C.Â
When a false alarm occurs, the Borough Police Department and/or the
9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center shall notify the office of the Director
of Administrative Services of the Borough of Bellevue by telephone
within five working days after all such false alarms, stating the
location of each false alarm. The Director of Administrative Services
shall, within 10 working days of receiving such notice, contact the
owner of such alarm for the purpose of notification of a false alarm.
Such notice by the Director of Administrative Services to the owner
of the alarm from which a false alarm emanated shall be in writing
and mailed to the owner of said alarm at his/her/its last known mailing
address. Included with this written notice shall be a bill, in the
prescribed amount as outlined above, should a false alarm charge be
due. Failure on the part of the Director of Administrative Services
to provide such notice to the owner of the alarm device within 15
working days after the date of such false alarm shall preclude the
Borough of Bellevue from assessing a false alarm charge for said false
alarm.
D.Â
A false alarm charge shall be due and payable at the Borough office
30 days from the date of mailing of such notice of assessment of a
charge.
E.Â
Failure of the owner of an alarm device having caused a false alarm, or a person other than the owner causing a false alarm, to pay a false alarm charge on or before the date due shall constitute a violation of this chapter and shall subject said person to the penalties set forth in § 66-7 of this chapter.
Nothing contained within this chapter shall preclude other organizations
involved in the alarm process, such as the Borough Police Department
or the 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center, from assessing a charge for
the registration, maintenance, testing or other services provided
to the owner of the alarm by those organizations.
The registration of an alarm device shall not constitute acceptance
by the Borough or the Borough Police and/or Fire Departments, or the
9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center, nor any of their agencies or personnel,
of any liability to maintain any equipment, to answer alarms, nor
otherwise render the Borough or the Borough Police and/or Fire Departments
or the 9-1-1 Emergency Dispatch Center liable to any person for any
loss or damage relating to the alarm system or procedures.
[Amended 1-4-2010 by Ord. No. 09-13]
Administration and enforcement of this chapter shall be the
function of the Borough Police Department and/or the Deputy Fire Marshal(s)
and shall include the following:
A.Â
Authority to order the disconnection and/or discontinuance of use
of an alarm device until such device is made to comply with operational
standards set forth herein, but only when evidence of failure to comply
with said standards imposes a burden upon the Borough, Police or Fire
Department as a result of false alarms.
B.Â
Authority, at reasonable times and upon written notice, to enter
upon any premises within the Borough to inspect the installation and
operation of an alarm device.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision
of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay
a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment
of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30
days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues shall constitute
a separate offense.
