All words and phrases used in this chapter, which are defined in Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §§ 7590 et seq., entitled the Alarm Company Act, shall have the same meaning as in the Act, and certain additional words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:
ALARM AGENT. Any person who owns or operates or is employed by an alarm business whose duties include the installing, altering, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing, selling, servicing, responding to or causing others to respond to an alarm system in or on any building, structure or facility.
ALARM BUSINESS. The business carried on by any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity of selling, leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing any alarm system or causing to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced, moved or installed any alarm system in or on any building, structure or facility.
ALARM SYSTEM. Any mechanical or electrical device or combination thereof which is designed for the detection of unauthorized entry on or into any building, place or premises or for alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act, or both, and which when actuated emits a sound or transmits a signal or message. ALARM SYSTEMS include, but are not limited to, direct dial telephone devices, audible alarms and proprietor alarms. Devices which are not designed or used to register alarms that are audible, visible or perceptible outside of the protected building, structure or facility are not included within this definition, nor are auxiliary devices installed by the telephone company to protect telephone company systems which might be damaged or destroyed by the use of an alarm system.
AUDIBLE ALARM. A device designed for the detection of unauthorized entry on premises which generates an audible sound on the premises when it is activated.
COMMUNICATIONS SECTION. The Police Department facility used to receive emergency and general information from the public to be dispatched to the respective police units or other emergency equipment.
DAY. Calendar day.
DIRECT ALARM. Any alarm system connecting an authorized source to the Police Department by a leased telephone line or any other direct line that has no intermediate station, and terminates at an independent terminal monitor module at the Police Department communications section.
DIRECT-DIAL TELEPHONE DEVICE (AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE). Any device which is interconnected to a voice-grade telephone line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number and transmits by prerecorded voice message or code signal an emergency message indicating a need for emergency response.
FALSE ALARM. Any alarm signal, either silent or audible, necessitating response by the Police or Fire Department where an emergency situation for which the alarm system was designed or used does not exist due to mechanical failure, accidental tripping or actuation (human error), misoperation, malfunction, misuse or the neglect of the owner or lessee of an alarm system, or of his employees or agents. Upon failure of the Police or Fire Department to find any evidence of intrusion, fire or attempted intrusion, or other need or cause for activating an alarm system, a presumption of FALSE ALARM will arise. FALSE ALARM shall not include alarms caused by earthquakes, violent winds, malfunction of telephone line circuits or external causes beyond the control of the owner or lessee of the alarm system.
POLICE ALARM BOARD. The alarm-receiving center located in the Police Department communications section which receives, by direct connection, alarm and trouble signals from subscribers' alarm systems.
POLICE CHIEF and POLICE DEPARTMENT. The Police Chief and the Police Department, respectively, of the city.
PROPRIETOR ALARM. An alarm system which is serviced by an alarm company operator and which the police do not normally respond to unless called by telephone after an alarm has indicated evidence requiring law enforcement response.
SUBSCRIBER. Any person who purchases, leases, contracts for, or otherwise obtains an alarm system or for the servicing or maintenance of an alarm system from an alarm business.
('86 Code, § 9.74.010) (Ord. 4164, passed - - )