For the purpose of this Ordinance, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALARM BUSINESS PERMIT.
An annual permit issued by the City of Albuquerque to each alarm system installation and repair business and each alarm system monitoring business.
ALARM SITE.
A single fixed commercial or private premises or location served by an alarm system. Each tenancy, if served by a separate alarm system in a multi-tenant building or complex, shall be considered a separate alarm site.
ALARM SYSTEM.
Any mechanical, electrical or electronic device designed to detect an unauthorized entry or emergency situation on real property which emits sound off the premises or transmits an electronic signal off the premises.
ALARM SYSTEM INSTALLATION AND REPAIR BUSINESS.
Any individual, partnership, corporation, agent, or other entity engaged in leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, installing or inspecting any alarm system, or in causing any alarm system to be leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced, or installed in any building, structure, or facility. The foregoing sentence includes, but is not limited to, any person or entity that derives any pecuniary benefit from any contract for the installation of any alarm system, including but not limited to any person or entity that sells a contract for the installation or monitoring of an alarm system.
ALARM SYSTEM MONITORING BUSINESS.
Any person or entity that intercepts signals indicating the activation of an alarm system and relays this information to the Police or Fire Department.
ALARM USER.
Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or other entity who uses or is in control of an alarm site. In the case of a rental property, the renter is considered the alarm user.
ALARM USER PERMIT.
An annual permit issued by the City of Albuquerque authorizing the operation of an alarm system within the city.
AUTOMATIC VOICE DIALER.
Any electrical, electronic, mechanical or other device capable of being programmed to send a prerecorded voice message, when activated, over a telephone line, radio or other communication system, to a law enforcement agency.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION.
A reasonable investigation or inquiry into an individual's previous history, including but not limited to their criminal record and other information, that will at the minimum reveal whether the person conducting the investigation has made a reasonable assessment of the likelihood of danger to the alarm owner posed by the alarm system installation and repair business personnel.
BUSINESS PERMIT HOLDER.
Any alarm system installation and repair business or alarm system monitoring business that has received an annual alarm business permit under this Ordinance.
CANCELLATION.
The process by which an alarm system monitoring business verifies that a false dispatch has occurred and that there is not an existing situation at the alarm site requiring public safety response.
CONTACT PERSON.
Person designated by the alarm user who has the ability and the authority to allow access to the alarm site and the alarm system.
DURESS/HOLD-UP ALARM.
An alarm system designed to be activated by a person to indicate an immediate life-threatening situation is present.
FALSE ALARM.
The activation of any alarm system resulting in notification of the Police or Fire Department, for which the responding Public Safety Officer finds no evidence of criminal activity, fire, smoke, carbon monoxide, heat or other threat of emergency of the kind for which the alarm system was designed to give notice.
FALSE ALARM REDUCTION UNIT.
Organizational entity within the City of Albuquerque established for purposes of implementation and enforcement of the Albuquerque Alarm System Ordinance.
HEARING OFFICER. The City Hearing Officer, as defined by the Independent Office of Hearings Ordinance (§§ 2-7-8-1 et seq. ROA 1994).
INTRUSION/BURGLAR ALARM.
An alarm system designed to detect a breach of the exterior of or unauthorized movement in an alarm site.
MAYOR.
The Mayor of the City of Albuquerque or his or her designated representative.
MONITORED ALARM SYSTEM.
An alarm system that results in sending a signal to an alarm system monitoring business.
PERMIT HOLDER.
Any alarm user who has received an annual alarm user permit under this Ordinance.
PLACE OF BUSINESS
shall have the same meaning that term has under the Business Registration Ordinance.
PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER.
Sworn members of the Albuquerque Police Department or Albuquerque Fire Department.
VERIFY.
An attempt by the alarm system monitoring business to contact the alarm site by telephone before requesting public safety dispatch, in order to avoid an unnecessary alarm dispatch.
(Ord. 8-2003; Am. Ord. 31-2007)