[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners (now City Council) of the City of Brigantine as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 175.
Fees schedule — See Ch. 210, Art. II.
[Adopted 10-6-1982 by Ord. No. 28-1982]
The appropriate officer of the City of Brigantine is hereby empowered to negotiate a contract with a responsible supplier (hereinafter "supplier") for installation at the supplier's own expense at police headquarters in the City of Brigantine of a Varitech security burglar and fire receiving system (hereinafter "system"), to be equipped to receive burglar and fire alarm service for direct wire digital receivers from the supplier's private subscribers to Brigantine police headquarters. Said contract shall set forth the charges to be paid to the City of Brigantine by the supplier's individual subscriber for installation into the system and maintenance of that installation. In addition, the contract shall further provide for the schedule of fees to be charged by the supplier to its individual subscribers. Nevertheless, no fees or other charges shall be paid by the supplier to the City of Brigantine for placement of the system in Brigantine police headquarters. Said contract shall further require the supplier to indemnify the City of Brigantine against any loss, including reasonable attorney's fees, which the City of Brigantine may incur as a consequence of the failure of the supplier to fulfill the terms of its contract with the City of Brigantine or any contract which the supplier may have with its individual subscriber, and the contract shall further require the supplier to post a bond or other security in an amount sufficient to guarantee its performance under the terms of that contract. Prior to execution, such contract shall be approved by resolution of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Brigantine.
The system to be installed will be and remain the property of supplier. All alarms connected to said system will operate in a uniform manner and in accordance with the manufacturer's specification so that the system can be efficiently monitored by the Brigantine Police Dispatcher. The supplier shall install and maintain the system at its own expense and shall be responsible for the transfer of all existing connections to the system and shall be further responsible to make such improvements to the system during the term of the contract as may be requested by the Chief of Police. Access to the system shall be available to all alarm companies having permission to operate in the City of Brigantine.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 87-3, Fees for installation and service, as amended, was repealed 12-17-2008 by Ord. No. 30-2008.
Any alarm equipment supplier that installs, maintains or services alarm systems or automatic protection devices in the City must be approved by and secure a permit from the City of Brigantine Police Department.
After passage of this article, all owners of premises within the City of Brigantine equipped with audible alarms with a timing mechanism must equip that mechanism in such a manner so that it will disengage the audible alarm after a maximum period of 15 minutes. Any audible alarms without such a timing mechanism shall be disconnected by the owner within 60 days from the effective date of this article.
Automatic direct-keying protecting devices shall be governed as follows:
A. 
Automatic protection devices that use the services of intermediaries (live voice central dispatch) are prohibited from using any primary or secondary phone lines at the City of Brigantine Police Department. It is the intent of this section to have all alarms, leased lines, digital communicators and others connected to the system at the Police Department.
B. 
After the effective date of this article, it shall be unlawful to transmit alarms to the Brigantine Police Department through live-voice central dispatch from private alarm companies and live voice through any other intermediaries. All such alarms shall be transmitted by connection to the system to be installed within the City of Brigantine Police Department.
C. 
The time for transmitting each digital electric or electronic messages shall not exceed five seconds.
D. 
Within 60 days from the effective date of this article, existing automatic protection devices in the City shall be disconnected from primary and secondary phone lines at the expense of the owner or lessee of the premises in which such device is located.
Repair service for automatic protection devices and alarms systems shall be governed as follows:
A. 
Each alarm equipment supplier who sells or leases an automatic protection device which is keyed to a designated phone line or who sells, installs or leases an alarm system in the City of Brigantine shall make service available on a twenty-four-hour-per-day basis, seven days a week, to repair such device or system or to correct any malfunction that may occur.
B. 
At the time of installation, the alarm equipment supplier shall furnish to its private subscriber written information as to how service may be obtained at any time, including the telephone number of the alarm equipment supplier or agent responsible for service. The supplier and the owner or lessee of the premises in which the alarm equipment is located shall be responsible for having such equipment repaired or disconnected as quickly as possible after notice that the automatic protection device is not functioning properly.
When messages or alarms evidencing failure to comply with the operational requirements set forth are received by the Police or Fire Department and the Chief of Police concludes that the automatic protection device or alarm system sending such messages or alarms should be disconnected in order to relieve the particular department of the burden of responding to false alarms, he is authorized to demand that the supplier or the owner or lessee of the premises in which the device is located disconnect the device until it is made to comply with this operational requirement. If disconnection of the detective device is not accomplished promptly, the Chief of Police may then disconnect the device from the system upon notice to the owner or lessee of the premises in which the device is located.
For the purpose of defraying the cost to the City of Brigantine of responding to a false alarm, the owner or lessee of the premises in which such device is located shall, as a condition to installation and operation of such equipment, execute a consent in such form as may be prescribed by the Chief of Police, that such owner or lessee shall be permitted five false alarms in each calendar year, after which such owner or lessee shall pay to the City of Brigantine $25 for such subsequent false alarm originating from his premises. This sum shall constitute a civil claim by the City apart from any penalty provisions hereunder. Any such owner or lessee shall execute such consent prior to connection to the system.
[Amended 12-28-1992 by Ord. No. 28-1992]
A. 
Failure of any person to comply with the requirements of written notice of violation of any provision of this article within three days of receipt of such notice, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both. Each day's failure to comply with such provision shall constitute a separate violation.
B. 
Any person found guilty of misuse, false activation or continual activation shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both.
[Adopted 5-19-1998 by Ord. No. 6-1998]
All properties within the City of Brigantine which have an automatic or manual fire alarm system or an automatic or manual fire suppression system shall hereinafter be equipped with a key box. Further, the Chief of the Fire Department or his designee may require other properties to install a key box if such key box will aid the fire-fighting capability of the Brigantine Fire Department.
Any and all key boxes erected pursuant to this article shall be of a type approved by Underwriters Laboratory and shall further be approved by the Fire Chief of the City of Brigantine or his designee.
Said key boxes shall be located at the properties where they are so required in a manner which will allow easy access by the City of Brigantine Fire Department, and said location must be approved by the Fire Chief of the City of Brigantine or his designee prior to any installation of said key box.
All such key boxes shall contain, at a minimum, the following, as applicable:
A. 
Keys to any and all locked points of ingress or egress whether on the interior or exterior of any property.
B. 
Keys to any locked mechanical equipment rooms within or on said property.
C. 
Keys to any locked electrical rooms within or on said property.
D. 
Keys to all elevator controls and control units.
E. 
Keys to such other areas as directed by the Fire Chief of the City of Brigantine or his designee and for which gaining access will be a benefit in the efforts of the City of Brigantine Fire Department in fighting fires or other hazards.
One- and two-family residential dwellings shall be specifically exempted from the requirements of this article.
All existing properties which are required to erect a key box pursuant to this article shall have the same approved and erected in not less than six months from the effective date of this article. All newly constructed buildings which would require a key box to be erected pursuant to this article shall comply prior to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy (CO).
Said key boxes shall be maintained so that entry upon the same may be easily gained by the City of Brigantine Fire Department and representatives thereof. Further, said key boxes are to be maintained in a neat, clean and well maintained condition.
The property owner shall be strictly responsible for any and all keys missing from said key box, and the City of Brigantine, its agents, representatives and employees, including members of the City of Brigantine Fire Department, are specifically indemnified and held harmless regarding any such missing keys.
Any owner/occupant of a property which is in violation of this article, after receiving written notice from the City of Brigantine Fire Department, shall be subject to a fine of $100 per day for each offense.