The following terms shall have the following respective meanings, which shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
(a) "Alarm originator" means any person, partnership, corporation or limited liability company who or which requested the installation of the alarm system, or has either an ownership interest in, a leasehold interest in, or occupies, the premises. In the event the premises are owned or occupied by a partnership or corporation, each partner of the partnership, and each officer and director of the corporation, shall be deemed an originator. With respect to automobile alarms, the owner, lessee or operator of an automobile shall be deemed to be the originator. This definition shall exclude any person who uses self-contained alarm systems which signal or alert other authorized persons who are on the premises of an attempted unauthorized intrusion or other emergency condition, provided that such system does not utilize an audible signal emitting sounds or light, which is designed to, or which otherwise does, signal persons outside the premises.
(b) "Alarm system" means an assembly of equipment and devices, or a single device, arranged to signal the presence of a hazard or situation requiring urgent attention, and to which either the Police Department or Fire Department may be summoned directly or indirectly to respond. "Alarm system" shall include, but not be limited to, systems designed for use for one or any combination of the following: the detection of an unauthorized entry or attempted entry into a building, structure or vehicle; the alerting of others of the commission of any unlawful act within a building, structure or vehicle; or the detection of fire, smoke or heat within a building, structure or vehicle.
(c) "Automatic telephone alarm system" means a device or combination of devices that will, upon activation, either mechanically, electronically, or by other means, initiate the automatic calling, dialing or connection to any telephone number assigned to any public service, utility, fire department or police agency by a public telephone company for the purpose of delivering a recorded message thereto.
(d) "False alarm" means any alarm activation or condition which is registered at or reported to the Township Police Department or Fire Department or elsewhere. "False alarm" includes any alarm condition which is registered at or reported to the Police Department, the Fire Department or elsewhere which does not result from criminal activity for which the alarm was intended, or, in the case of a fire alarm, any alarm condition which is registered at the Fire Department or elsewhere which does not result from a fire or a potential fire condition. "False alarm" does not include any alarm caused by a hurricane, tornado, storm, earthquake or other violent condition beyond the control of the owner or lessee, their agents or the employees of an alarm system, or any other extenuating circumstance as determined by the designee of the Police Department or the Fire Department.
(Ord. 319. Passed 12-22-97.)