[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township
of Verona 7-15-1985 by Ord. No.
13-85 (Ch. 53 of the 1981 Code). Amendments noted
where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations concerning
the operation and maintenance of certain alarm devices and systems
within the Township of Verona and to provide penalties for the violation
of any of the provisions hereof.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
The control panel or panels located in police headquarters
for the purpose of receiving alarm signals and for giving alarm indications
and locations.
Any type of alarm-actuating equipment which provides warning
of intrusion, fire, smoke, burglary, flood or like peril, including
a direct alarm, dial alarm or local alarm. For the purpose of this
chapter, the term "alarm device" shall not include self-contained
smoke detectors with an indoor audible alarm signal.
The installation in one or more buildings of one or more
alarm devices.
That type of alarm device which employs an automatic dialing
system which is precoded and connected to a telephone line in police
headquarters.
An alarm device which has a direct line to an alarm console.
The activation of an alarm where an emergency does not exist,
or an alarm actuated by inadvertence, negligence or an unintentional
or intentional act of someone other than an intruder, and shall include
alarms caused by malfunctioning of the alarm, device alarm system
or its related equipment. The term "false alarm" shall not include
alarms created by malfunctioning of the Police Department alarm console
or other Police Department equipment or activations caused by public
utility interruptions where such interruptions have been reported
to the police or activations caused by a natural disaster or activations
caused by testing or repair of an alarm system or device provided
that the Police Department has been notified prior to the commencement
of such tests of repairs or an activation which is immediately followed
by a telephone call to the Police Department from the owner or operator
of the device notifying the Police Department that the alarm signal
is to be disregarded.
Any alarm device, other than a direct alarm or dial alarm,
which when activated, produces an external emergency signal.
Any natural person, partnership or corporation, limited partnership,
association, business, club or organization.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person that owns, operates, maintains or has on his property
any alarm device within the Township of Verona shall notify the Police
Department, in writing, and on such registration forms that may be
required by the Chief of Police. Such notice shall state the name,
address and telephone number of the owner or operator of the location
of the device and the name, address and telephone number of at least
two persons who can be reached in case of an emergency or malfunction
in order that the device can be shut off or temporarily disconnected.[1]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
All dial alarms shall conform to the following regulations:
A.
Dial alarms shall be coded to select a special number assigned by
the Police Department.
B.
All components of such equipment shall be maintained by the owner
or operator in good repair.
C.
In addition to the registration requirements of this chapter, the
owner or operator of a dial alarm device shall pay an annual fee to
the Township of Verona in the amount of $12 to offset the cost of
the special telephone line or lines required by dial alarm devices.
Such annual fee shall be payable on the first day of June for each
calendar year. Fees for the installation of a dial alarm device during
the calendar year shall be prorated.
D.
In the event that a person who owns or operates a dial alarm device
fails to comply with this section, the Chief of Police, or his designee,
shall issue a written notice to such person stating the reasons why
such device does not comply with this section and demanding compliance
with this section. Failure of such person to comply with the notice
and demand within 10 days of the mailing of such written notice shall
be deemed a violation of this chapter. Noncompliance for each day
after such ten-day period shall be considered a separate violation
of this chapter.
All external audible alarms shall be registered with the Police
Department in accordance with this chapter and shall be equipped with
a timing device that will automatically silence the external audible
alarm signal within 30 minutes after it is activated.
The Police Department shall cause a record of all false alarms
that occur in the Township. The owner or operator of an alarm device
within the Township shall be subject to the following penalties for
false alarms that occur during any calendar year:
A.
For the first and second false alarms, a written warning shall be
issued to the owner or operator.
B.
For the third and fourth false alarms, there shall be imposed a fine
of $25 for each false alarm.
C.
For the fifth and subsequent false alarms, there shall be imposed
a fine of $50 for each such false alarm. In addition, in the case
of false alarms involving direct alarms or dial alarms, the Police
Department shall conduct an investigation as to the reasons for such
continued false alarms and, upon a finding by the Police Department
that there has been abuse or neglect in the operation or maintenance
of any such alarm device and a failure to take reasonable action to
remedy the cause of such false alarms, the Chief of Police, or his
designee, may require that such alarm device be disconnected from
police headquarters, either temporarily or permanently. No disconnection
shall be made until after 10 days from the date the Police Department
has given written notice to the owner or operator that the device
will be disconnected. The owner or operator shall have the right to
appeal the decision of the Police Department to the Township governing
body. Notice of an appeal must be in writing and must be filed in
the office of the Township Clerk not later than 10 days from the date
notice of intended disconnection is given by the Police Department.
If an appeal is filed as provided herein, the Township Council shall
hold a public hearing on the matter and may affirm, reverse or modify
the decision of the Police Department, and no disconnection shall
be made until the appeal is decided by the Township Council.
As a condition prerequisite to the installation of a direct
alarm on the Police Department alarm console or the connection of
a dial alarm with Police Department headquarters, the owner or operator
of such alarm device shall be required to agree, in writing, to indemnify
and hold harmless the Township of Verona, its agents, servants and
employees, including, but not limited to, members of the Verona Police
Department, from any and all damages arising out of connection of
such owner's or operator's equipment to Police Headquarters,
including all damages arising out of or as a result of any forced
entry by police personnel into unattended premises occurring during
alarm response.
This chapter shall apply to alarm devices placed in service
prior to or subsequent to the effective date hereof; provided, however,
that owners or operators of existing alarm devices shall have 30 days
from the effective date hereof to register such alarm devices with
the Verona Police Department in accordance with this chapter and 120
days from the effective date hereof to equip alarm devices having
an external audible alarm with an automatic silencing mechanism as
required by this chapter.
This chapter shall be enforceable in the Municipal Court of
the Township of Verona. Any person who is guilty of violating any
provision of this chapter, other than a provision for which a specific
penalty is indicated, shall be subject to a fine of not more than
$1,000.
