[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Easton 3-25-1980 as Title IVF
of the 1980 Code of Ordinances; amended 8-22-1991; 9-23-1997. Subsequent amendments noted
where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any mechanism, equipment or device designed to transmit an
audible alarm to the exterior of a dwelling or other building.
Any mechanism, equipment or device designed to transmit to
others, including but not limited to private alarm services, notice
of intrusion or other emergency.
Any mechanism, equipment or device which is designed to operate
automatically through the use of public telephone facilities to transmit
a signal, message or warning to another location.
No person shall operate or maintain a telephonic alarm system
or a private alarm system which automatically or through a third party
transmits a signal, message or warning to the Town of Easton Police
Department or Fire Department telephone line or other emergency line
without first obtaining a permit as required by this chapter.
[Amended 9-15-2014]
Application for permits to install, maintain or operate a telephonic
alarm system or private alarm system which is intended to automatically
or through a third party transmit a signal, message or warning to
the Town Police Department or Fire Department telephone line or other
emergency line shall be filed with the Chief of Police on forms supplied
by the Town of Easton, together with an application fee of $25. Said
application shall set forth the name, address, and telephone number
of both the installer of the system and the person on whose premises
the system will be installed, as well as a description of the system
and the location where it is proposed to be installed.
A.
The Chief of Police may approve such application if he finds, among
other things, that:
(1)
The
use of said alarm system to transmit a signal, message or warning
to a designated Town Police Department or Fire Department telephone
line or other emergency line will not interfere with the orderly conduct
of Town business.
(2)
The
person and/or company installing the system maintains an adequate
service organization to repair, maintain and otherwise service telephonic
alarm systems or private alarm systems sold or leased by him and/or
it.
B.
Said Chief of Police shall have the authority and is hereby empowered
to impose reasonable conditions on the exercise of said permit.
Said Chief of Police or designee shall have the right to inspect
any telephonic alarm system or private alarm system on the premises
where it is intended to function prior to issuance of any permit for
its operation, and he may cause an inspection of such system to be
made at any time after issuance of a permit to determine whether it
is being used in conformity with the terms of the permit and the provisions
of this chapter.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to
install, operate or maintain a telephonic alarm system or private
alarm system which automatically transmits a signal, message or warning
to any Town Police Department or Fire Department telephone line or
other emergency line except to such telephone number or numbers as
designated by the permit issued under the provisions of this chapter.
(Telephone dialers will be prohibited in any new systems. Preexisting
dialers must not send more than two signals to the receiving center
for notice of an alarm.)
[Amended 9-15-2014]
Alarms installed after the adoption of this chapter must contain
an automatic timing device to shut down after 40 minutes. Existing
systems must provide a key holder or an outside shutoff. Police may
be key holders in such cases.
Said Chief of Police may revoke any permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Notice to the permit holder of intent to revoke said permit shall be by registered or certified mail. The permit holder shall be entitled to a hearing before said Chief of Police within 15 days of the date of issuance of the notice of intent to revoke. If, after said hearing, said Chief of Police determines that the telephonic alarm system or private alarm system installed pursuant to said permit has been installed, maintained, or operated in violation of the provisions of this chapter, or of any term or condition of said permit, or for failure to pay the annual service fee specified in § 226-9, he may order said revocation.
[Amended 9-15-2014]
Each permit holder shall pay to the Town of Easton on or before
July 1 of each year a use fee as may be established by the Board of
Police Commissioners from time to time.
Any person, firm or corporation having a burglar alarm, telephonic
alarm system, private alarm system or any other type of intrusion
alarm shall be charged a fee of $10 after the second false alarm responded
to by the Easton Police Department within the period of a year, $20
after the third occurrence and $40 each after each subsequent occurrence.
If the possessor of the alarm system appears in person before the
Police Chief and shows to the satisfaction of the Police Chief that
the false alarm was not the result of negligence, inadequately informed
employees or service personnel or improper maintenance, such fee(s)
may be waived.
Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this
chapter shall be fined $50 for each offense, and a separate offense
shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation
occurs or continues.
