For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALARM ADMINISTRATOR. A person or persons, designated by the chief of police, to administer, control and review applications, permits and alarm dispatch requests.
ALARM BUSINESS. Any business operated by a person who engages in the activity of altering, installing, leasing, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing, selling, servicing or responding to an alarm system or which causes any of these activities to take place.
ALARM SITE. Premises protected by an alarm system.
ALARM SYSTEM. An assembly of equipment, mechanical or electrical, arranged to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which the Police Department or Fire Department are expected to respond, other than alarm systems on motor vehicles. The definition of ALARM SYSTEM shall be interpreted broadly to include any type of alarm system that is based on any type of technology and includes each of the alarm systems defined in this chapter: “automatic digital dialing alarm system,” “automatic voice dialing alarm system,” “central station system,” “emergency answering service,” and “wireless alarm system.”
ALARM USER. Any person or business in control of premises where an alarm system is maintained.
ALARM USER PERMIT. A permit issued by the village that allows an alarm user to use, own or lease an alarm system or to be in control of an alarm site where an alarm system is operated or maintained.
AUTOMATIC DIGITAL DIALING ALARM SYSTEM. An alarm system that has the capability of transmitting digital code signals to an alarm receiving board at the (P.S.A.P.) Public Safety Answering Point Center, using regular or dedicated telephone lines.
AUTOMATIC VOICE DIALING ALARM SYSTEM. An alarm system, which automatically sends over regular telephone lines or by wireless technology, a prerecorded voice message indicating the existence of an emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.
CENTRAL STATION SYSTEM. A system in which the operation of electrical protection circuits and devices are signaled automatically to, recorded in, maintained and supervised from a place of business having trained operators in attendance at all times.
CHIEF OF POLICE. The duly appointed chief of police of the Village of East Dundee.
COMMUNICATION SWINGER SUPPRESSION. A programming feature of an alarm system’s alarm panel that prevents continuous alarm signals from being received at the alarm business, which monitors the alarm system.
EMERGENCY ANSWERING SERVICE. A telephone answering service providing, among its services, the function of receiving on a continuous basis through trained employees, emergency signals from alarm systems and thereafter immediately relaying the message by live voice to the Public Safety Answering Point.
FALSE ALARM. The activation of an alarm system through mechanical or electronic failure, malfunction, improper installation or the negligence of the alarm business or user or their employees or agents, except that the following shall not be considered false alarms:
(1) Alarms caused by the failure or malfunction of the equipment located at the P.S.A.P.;
(2) Alarms occurring on a repeated basis without apparent cause within the first 60 days after installation of the alarm system, and where continuous effort, in the sole opinion of the Alarm Administrator, is being made jointly by the alarm user, Village Inspection Department and any other concerned person to correct the malfunction expeditiously;
(3) Alarms caused by an attempted or actual illegal entry of which there is visible evidence;
(4) Alarms caused by an on-premises fire;
(5) Alarms intentionally caused by a person acting under a reasonable belief that a need exists to call the Police Department or Fire Department; and
(6) Alarms caused by hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, major floods or other natural disasters.
ON-PREMISES ALARM. An alarm system that audibly announces an emergency condition at a residence or business establishment, and may or may not be connected to any central alarm system, emergency answering service or the Public Safety Answering Point.
P.S.A.P.; PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT. A call center operated by, or for, the village to answer telephone calls and alarms for police, firefighting and ambulance services and to dispatch these emergency services.
PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL. Police, firefighting and ambulance personnel.
REVOKE ALARM USER PERMIT; REVOCATION. As the result of revocation of an alarm user permit, police, firefighting and ambulance services may no longer respond to an alarm. This condition may remain permanently in effect unless the requirements for reinstatement are met.
SUSPEND ALARM USER PERMIT; SUSPENSION. As the result of suspension of an alarm user permit, police, firefighting and ambulance services may no longer respond to an alarm during the period of suspension,
VILLAGE. The Village of East Dundee.
WIRELESS ALARM SYSTEM. Any assembly of equipment, mechanical and/or electrical, that utilizes wireless technology to signal and/or receive the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which the Police Department or Fire Department are expected to respond.
(1981 Code, § 15.01) (Ord. 96-18, passed 9-3-1996; Am. Ord. 20-20, passed 5-18-2020)