Township of Sandyston, NJ Alarms

The purpose of this chapter is to establish regulations concerning the operation and maintenance of alarm systems within the Township of Sandyston and to provide penalties for violations of any of the provisions of this chapter.

§ 32-2 Scope.

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any persons or entity who operates, maintains, has control over, or owns any alarm device designed to summon the police or fire personnel to any location in response to an alarm signal. The terms of this chapter shall in no way prohibit alarm companies from providing service by private sources within the Township of Sandyston.

§ 32-3 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

ALARM DEVICE: Any type of alarm system providing warning of intrusion, fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, flood or like peril or emergency.

ALARM INSTALLATION: Any alarm device or combination of alarm devices installed for one or more buildings at any location.

DIAL ALARM DEVICE: An alarm device using telephone or other lines which transmits an alarm signal or signals to the New Jersey State Police or other lawfully established police department or any privately owned alarm company.

FALSE ALARM: Any alarm or signal activated or transmitted by inadvertent, negligent, unintentional or intentional act or omission of a person (caused or transmitted other than by an intruder or by fire, flood, smoke or carbon monoxide) and shall also include alarms caused by malfunctioning of the alarm device or other related equipment. False alarms shall not include activation caused by power or phone line interruptions when such interruptions have been reported to the New Jersey State Police or the Township Clerk.

LOCAL ALARM: Any alarm device which, when activated, produces an audible or visual signal (such as, but not limited to, fire and burglar alarm activating bell devices). It shall not include motor vehicle anti-theft alarms.

PERMITTEE: Any person owning or leasing or having control over an alarm device or a local alarm within the Township of Sandyston, including but not limited to the owner or tenant of a premises or building or other structure.

PERSON: Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation, association or other entity.

POLICE DEPARTMENT: The New Jersey State Police or any other law enforcement agency exercising lawful jurisdiction.

§ 32-4 Alarm user responsibility.

It shall be unlawful for any person to have control over, or to operate, or to install or maintain an alarm device within the Township of Sandyston without first registering said use with the Township Clerk in accordance with this chapter.

Every user of an alarm device shall, by July 1, 2001, submit to the Township Clerk a registration application for an alarm permit, using the application form provided by the Township Clerk; information must be kept current, and the permittee must notify the Township Clerk, in writing, of any changes of information listed on the registration application, no later than 30 days following the applicable change or changes.

A registration permit shall automatically terminate upon a change of occupancy of the premises for which the alarm device has been registered.

§ 32-5 Registration form.

Person(s) required to register their alarm devices shall complete and file with the Municipal Clerk a registration application which may be obtained from the Municipal Clerk's office and which shall contain the following information:

The full name and address of the applicant, including a complete physical address and property description which will permit the appropriate response to the alarm.

The exact location of each alarm device on the property and in or on the building or structure.

Name and address and telephone number of the person installing, maintaining and/or owning the system.

The type of device, including what provisions have been made to avoid false alarms and testing provisions.

The name and address of the entity or person(s), if any, responsible for monitoring and initially responding to any activation of an alarm device and phone number for such entity and/or person(s).

The name and address and telephone numbers of an entity or person who may be contacted in the event of an alarm and at least one other entity or person(s) who is authorized to receive notification of an alarm call and who is authorized to enter upon the premises in which the alarm system is located.

Any additional relevant information as may be reasonably required by the Township Clerk.

§ 32-6 False alarms.

It shall be unlawful for any person to cause, allow or activate a false alarm as defined in this chapter. In case of a false alarm, any person and any permittee who violates this chapter shall each be subject to the provisions of § 32-11.

§ 32-7 Connections of dial alarm devices.

Dial alarm devices may be connected to the State Police by telephone or other lines as are permitted and designated by the New Jersey State Police or to other law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction or to third-party providers. Said dial alarms shall be registered as specified in §§ 3204 and 32-5 of this chapter.

§ 32-8 Nonapplicability; audible alarms.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any alarm system installed on the property owned or occupied by any township, county, state or federal government agency or office or to any alarm device having only an indoor audible or visual/flashing system and which are not dial alarm devices.

Alarm devices having an audible alarm installed out of doors shall be designated to limit the operation of a bell or sound-producing instrument to a maximum of 20 minutes after activation. If the duration of an outside activated audible alarm exceeds 20 minutes, the warnings and penalties provided by § 32-11 of this chapter shall apply as though a false alarm had been activated.

§ 32-9 Limitations of township obligations.

The Township of Sandyston shall be under no duty or obligation to any permittee by reason of issuance of any registration permit.

As a condition precedent to the issuance of a registration permit pursuant to this chapter, it shall be the obligation of each permittee to agree, in writing, to indemnify and save harmless the Township of Sandyston, its agents, servants and employees, the New Jersey State Police, the fire departments and rescue squads serving Sandyston Township and all other police departments from and on account of any and all damages arising from or sustained as a result of any forced entry into the premises during any alarm response and for failure of the Township of Sandyston, its agents, servants and employees, the New Jersey State Police, the fire departments and rescue squads serving Sandyston Township and all other police departments for failure to respond to any alarm.

§ 32-10 Rule-making authority.

The Township Committee may from time to time promulgate rules and regulations supplementing this chapter in order to provide for recordkeeping and efficient management of said system.

§ 32-11 Violations and penalties.

Any person, firm or corporation who violates the terms of this chapter shall be subject to a fine of up to $1,000 or not more than 90 days in jail, or both; provided, however, that the following minimum and mandatory fines shall apply to false alarms:

For the first false alarm in any single calendar year, a warning shall be issued.

For the second false alarm in the same calendar year, a fine of $50 shall be paid to the Township of Sandyston.

For the third and subsequent false alarms in the same calendar year, a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $250 for each occurrence shall be paid to the Township of Sandyston, which shall be accompanied by an advisory letter (dated within 30 days following the date on which the complaint is issued) from a licensed alarm company stating that the system is operating properly, if however, the person fails to provide such advisory letter as provided above, a fine may be imposed by the court, up to a maximum of $500, in the court's discretion.