[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Sewickley 5-17-1993 by Ord. No. 1125 (Ch. 13, Part 2, of the 1996 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Construction codes — See Ch. 156.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
ALARM
A communication to the Borough Police Department indicating that a crime, fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate action by either the Fire Department or Police Department has occurred or is occurring.
ALARM DEVICE
A mechanical device designed to automatically transmit an alarm by wire, telephone, radio or other means:
A. 
Directly to the Police Department.
B. 
To a person who is instructed to notify the Police Department of the alarm.
COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT
Any person or entity engaging in any enterprise for profit.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm to which either the Fire Department or Police Department responds, resulting from the activation of an alarm device to the Police Department, when a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by either the Fire Department or the Police Department has not, in fact, occurred.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Cochran Hose Company.
PERMIT HOLDER
A person to whom the Borough has issued a permit pursuant to the terms of this chapter.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership, incorporated association or other similar entity.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Police Department of the Borough of Sewickley.
No property owner, tenant or other person occupying premises within the Borough may install, or cause the installation of, an alarm device after the effective date of this chapter without first obtaining a permit from the Borough to do so. No person may install, or cause the installation of, an alarm device serving premises outside the Borough which results in the activation of an alarm device directly to the Police Department after the effective date of this chapter without first obtaining a permit from the Borough to do so in the event that such alarm device triggers an alarm. A permit shall also be required for the revision or upgrading of an existing alarm device, but the fee referred to in § 130-4 hereof shall not be charged in such an instance. A permit shall also be required to maintain an alarm device in place before the effective date of this chapter, but the fee referred to in § 130-4 hereof shall not be charged for its issuance, and the permit need not be obtained until 90 days after the effective date of this chapter.
A. 
The Borough shall be empowered to require any person applying for a permit to follow such reasonable rules and regulations in the installation and maintenance of the alarm device as the Borough shall promulgate to carry out the purposes of this chapter; provided, however, that such rules and regulations shall require that person to comply with the following:
(1) 
Exoneration. That person shall agree, as a condition to the obtaining of the permit, to release, indemnify and hold the Borough, its employees, officers and agents harmless for any damage to persons or property incurred in responding to a false alarm.
(2) 
List of names. That person shall agree, as a condition to obtaining the permit, to give the Borough the names of at least two individuals having access to the premises serviced by the alarm device and to the alarm device itself in the event that such individuals do not reside at the premises and are authorized to enter the premises at any time, except where the Police Department itself has keys to the premises and is adequately informed how to operate the alarm device.
B. 
Premises with fire alarm systems that do not have personnel on premises 24 hours per day, seven days per week, shall install a Knox-Box® access system, providing keys to the Knox-Box® to the Fire Department.
There will be no fee for obtaining a permit, unless such fee is fixed by Borough Council, which may do so by way of resolution.
A permit holder or the owner of an alarm device that does not have a permit shall pay fines in accordance with the following schedule for a false alarm triggered by the alarm device:
A. 
Free calls. The first three false alarms in a calendar year: no fine.
B. 
Fourth through sixth. The fourth through sixth false alarms in a calendar year: $200 per false alarm.
C. 
Calls beyond the sixth. All false alarms beyond the sixth in a calendar year: $300 per false alarm.
D. 
Enforcement costs. Any cost incurred by the Borough for enforcement of this chapter and collection of the fines shall be charged to the permit holder.
The Borough Secretary or his delegate shall collect all fees for a permit issued by the Borough. Each permit holder with an alarm device triggering a false alarm shall be informed in writing by the Borough Manager or his delegate of any false alarm, after notification from the Police Chief or Fire Chief.
[Amended 2-19-1996 by Ord. No. 1159]
The fines or penalties for each and every such violation or failure shall be limited as follows:
A. 
False alarm. The fine for a false alarm may in no event exceed the fine prescribed in § 130-5.
B. 
Other provisions. The fine for each and every failure to obtain a permit under § 130-2 hereof, for each and every failure to comply with any provision set forth in § 130-3 hereof, and for each and every failure to pay the fee for obtaining a permit under § 130-4 hereof shall not, pursuant to § 3308 of the Borough Code,[1] Act of February 1, 1966, (1965 P.L. 1656, No. 581), exceed $600 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days.
[1]
Editor's Note: See now 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 3321(1). The Borough Code, Act of Feb. 1, 1965, P.L. 1656, No. 581, was recodified in 2012 and again in 2014 to 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.