The purpose of this chapter is to reduce needless alarms to which the Wethersfield Police Department and the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department respond to as a result of the activation of burglar, holdup, panic and fire alarms that automatically summon the Police Department or the Fire Department either via a central station, the Wethersfield Police Department or automatic dialers.
All applications for alarm user permits shall be accompanied by an application fee of $25.00 and filed with the Police Department. The application must state where the alarm device or alarm system will be located, the name of the installer, the type of device or system, a list of persons to be contacted in the event of an alarm, and other information as may be required for the public's health and safety.
All alarm devices and alarm systems are subject to approval by the chief of police prior to installation, with the exception of any fire alarm system, which shall be subject to approval by the fire marshal.
Existing alarm systems must be registered and a permit issued within 90 days of the date of adoption of this amended ordinance.
Permits for all alarm systems shall require an annual renewal one year from the date of permit or registration issuance. Renewals shall be accompanied by a renewal fee of $25.00 and filed with the Police Department. Except that permits for alarm systems servicing solely residential property shall require a renewal every three years from the date of permit or registration issuance and shall be accompanied by a renewal fee of $25.00.
Effective July 1, 2005, the Town of Wethersfield will charge the subscriber of an alarm system a fine for each emergency police and/or fire response to a false alarm as follows:
If the subscriber is not the owner of the property in which the alarm system is located, the town shall give the property owner notice of the occurrence of the first false alarm generated by the alarm system of the property.
The subscriber in receipt of a violation ticket may appeal the fine at anytime within five (5) days of the receipt of said notice by filing an appeals notice at police headquarters. After review of said appeal, the Police Chief or Fire Chief, in the event of fire alarm systems, will make a determination as to whether or not the circumstances surrounding the false alarm justify the waiver of the fine. The subscriber will be notified in writing as to the results of the appeal.
All fines payable under this chapter will be made to the Tax Collector and will be due and payable within thirty (30) days of the day of notice or, if appealed, within thirty (30) days of the date of decision on the appeal. Payments not received within this period will result in the automatic doubling of the fine. In addition, if the subscriber subject to the fine is not the property owner, the Tax Collector shall give the property owner notice of the subscriber's failure to pay the fine in the allowable period. The property owner shall have a fifteen-day period from the date of such notice in which to pay the original fine at the original amount. If not paid within such fifteen-day period, the amount of the fine which the property owner may pay shall be doubled.
The Police Chief will enforce and administer this chapter and any rules and regulations promulgated there under, except that the Fire Chief shall have jurisdiction over the fire alarm systems.