Chapter 133, ALARM DEVICES

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council of the City of Clifton 10-20-1981 by Ord. No. 4665-81; amended in its entirety 5-16-2006 by Ord. No. 6581-06. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
§ 133-1. Legislative findings.
The Municipal Council of the City of Clifton does hereby find and declare that:
A. The occupants of numerous residential, commercial and industrial establishments in the City of Clifton have found it desirable to make provision for the installation upon their premises, at their own cost and expense, of alarm systems for emergencies, such as burglary, intrusion, fire, smoke, flood and like perils.

B. The public interest, therefore, requires the enactment of rules, regulations, standards and procedures to regulate and control the private alarm business in the City of Clifton to the end that:
(1) The municipal departments and agencies charged with the protection of public safety may efficiently and economically coordinate their functions with the various alarm systems to which the public of the City of Clifton may subscribe.
(2) The quality of the alarm services rendered to the public may be improved and maintained at a high level.

§ 133-2. Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide standards and regulations for various types of intrusion, security and fire emergency alarm devices that activate an alarm which requires a response thereto by the City of Clifton Police Department or Fire Department.

§ 133-3. Applicability.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any person who operates, maintains or owns any alarm device designed to summon police or fire personnel to any location in response to an alarm.

§ 133-4. Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

ALARM DEVICE -- Any type of equipment providing warning of intrusion, fire or other danger by way of audible signal or other means.
FALSE ALARM -- Any alarm activated by inadvertence, negligence, unintentional or intentional act of someone other than an intruder or by fire, including but not limited to alarms caused by malfunctioning of the alarm device, but shall not include alarms caused by an activity by a public utility.
PERSON -- Includes any natural person, partnership, corporation or association.

§ 133-5. Registration of alarm devices.
A. All alarm devices in the City of Clifton must be registered with the City of Clifton within 72 hours of installation. Any person, firm or corporation who or which owns or operates any alarm device to guard against intrusion or fire, but excluding self-contained smoke detectors with an indoor audible signal, shall provide, as part of the initial registration, in writing, to the Chief of Police, the location of the device, the name and address of the installer and monitor of the device, provisions relating to false alarms and testing procedures, a list of at least two persons, with their names, addresses and telephone numbers, to be contacted in the event of an alarm, false alarm or emergency, and other information as may be required by the Chief of Police, and shall update all information provided to the Chief of Police upon any change of information. All partnerships, corporations or other organizations shall designate an individual who shall be responsible for compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
B. Upon each change of ownership of any residential, nonresidential building or structure, a new registration form must be submitted to the City of Clifton Police Department within 72 hours of the change.
C. Upon each change in the entity that is responsible for the monitoring of any alarm device, a new registration form must be submitted to the City of Clifton Police Department within 72 hours of the change.

§ 133-6. Registration fees; penalties for failure to register.
A. Commencing June 1, 2006, there shall be a registration fee of $25 for any new alarm devices installed in any nonresidential building or structure. There will be a new registration required and an additional registration fee of $25 due upon any change in ownership of any nonresidential building or structure, or upon any change in the alarm device, including any change in the entity that monitors the device.
B. There shall be no registration fee for alarm devices installed at residential dwelling units.
C. Any person, firm or corporation that fails to register an alarm device within 72 hours of its installation shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75 nor more than $1,250, upon conviction.
D. Any person, firm or corporation that fails to update the registration information of an alarm device within 72 hours of any change in ownership of the alarm device, or upon any change in the entity that monitors the device, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75 nor more than $1,250 upon conviction.
§ 133-7. General regulations; false alarms; violations and penalties.

A. Alarm devices having an external audible alarm, or any alarm installed out of doors, shall be designed (and shall contain the necessary device and equipment) to limit the operation of a bell or sound-producing instrument to a maximum of 15 minutes after activation. If any local alarm having an external alarm or alarm installed outdoors has been activated and continues to produce a continuous audible sound, alarm or ringing for more than the 15 minutes, the owner, person or entity responsible for the alarm device shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75 nor more than $1,250 upon conviction.
B. In addition to the above, if any local alarm having an external alarm or alarm installed outdoors has been activated and continues to produce a continuous audible sound, alarm or ringing for more than the 15 minutes hereinabove stated, the Clifton Police Department shall notify the responsible party named in the application for the registration of the same. If the responsible party refuses or neglects to take the necessary action to stop the audible sound, alarm or ringing within 15 minutes after being so notified by the Police Department, the owner, person or entity responsible for the alarm device shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75 nor more than $1,250, upon conviction.
C. In the case of a false alarm, the Clifton Police Department shall cause an investigation to be made and keep a record of said false alarm on file. For the first and second false alarms in any given calendar year, a warning shall be issued. For any third or subsequent false alarm in the same calendar year, the owner, person or entity responsible for the alarm device shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75 nor more than $1,250 for each offense, upon conviction.
D. If a response by the Clifton Police Department or Clifton Fire Department is caused by any alarm device that is not registered with the City of Clifton Police Department, the owner, person or entity responsible for the alarm device shall be subject to a fine of not less than $75 nor more than $1,250 upon conviction.