The Record Breeze newspaper reports that Berlin Borough in New Jersey is considering a new alarm ordinance to help cut back on the number of false alarms.
The proposed ordinance was introduced on Feb. 9 as ordinance number 2006-02, and will be read to the council during the Feb. 21, 2006, meeting.
The ordinance would require an alarm system owner or his/her representative to have the alarm turned off within 60 minutes after it sounds. After that time, the police or fire department could have the alarm disconnected.
The ordinance also provides for fines for excessive false alarms. Residential system owners get a generous number of "free" false alarms, with only warnings issued on their first six in a calendar year. False alarms number 7 and 8 are fined $100 each, false alarms 9 and 10 are fined $200 each.
Commercial properties face a more stringent standard, with only the first four calendar-year false alarms receiving warnings. Additional false alarms would generate fines starting at $200 and increasing with additional false reports. Businesses with 15 incidents or more can be summoned to municipal court.
