755.03 DEFINITIONS.

      (a)    "Alarm business" means the business by any person, partnership, corporation or other entity selling, leasing, testing, inspecting, monitoring, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving, or installing any alarm system, or causing to be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, tested, monitored, inspected, repaired, altered, replaced, moved or installed, any alarm system in or on any building, structure or facility.

      (b)    "Alarm system" means any assembly of equipment, mechanical, or electrical, audio, video, GPS, internet based, or cellular arranged to signal the occurrence of an illegal entry or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which police or fire are expected to respond.

   (c)   “Alarm user" means a person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind, in control of any building, structure or facility where an alarm system is maintained. Exclusion: The term "alarm user" does not include alarms being monitored by a licensed alarm business.

    (d)   "Applicant" means any person, partnership, corporation or other entity who files an application for a new or renewal license or permit as provided in this chapter.

   (e)    "Subscriber" means any person, partnership, corporation or other entity who is under contract with or has an alarm business monitor, service or maintains its alarm system.

   (f)   "Automatic dialing device" means a device which is interconnected to a telephone line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number and transmit by a voice message, cellular communicator, or network connection or code signal, an emergency message indicating the need for an emergency response.

   (g)   "False alarm" means an alarm dispatch request to city safety forces, when the responding safety force official finds no evidence of an emergency, criminal offense, or attempted criminal offense after having completed a timely investigation of the alarm site, or the activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunctioning, improper installation or the negligence of the owner or lessee of an alarm system, or of his employees or agents. Such terminology does not include, for example, alarms caused by hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or other similarly violent conditions. Some examples of false alarms include, without limitation, the following:

      (1)   When an individual user fails to properly utilize the alarm system. For example:

         A.    Neglects to turn off the alarm before entering a protected property.

         B.    Fails to call a central station or monitoring agency advising them that the entry is authorized.

         C.    A user fails to properly instruct an employee or representative who has access to a protected property of the correct use of the alarm.

            (2)    When a fire or burglary system is activated requiring a response because the system and/or equipment is not in compliance with manufacturer's recommendations.

            (3)    When an Alarm Business employee fails to put the system on test.

            (4)    When an Alarm Business provides an incorrect address.

   (h)   "Interconnect" means to connect an alarm system, including an automatic dialing device to a telephone line either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes the telephone, network, cellular communicator, or network connection for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit a message upon activation of the alarm system.

   (i)   "Alarm Ordinance Administration" means the department of the City designated as such by the Mayor and which is authorized to issue permits and licenses and collect the fees for same as provided herein.

   (j)   "Local alarms" means those alarm systems which activate an audible or visual signal within the proximity of the premises only.

   (k)   "Permit year" means a twelve-month period beginning with the first day of March and ending the last day of February of each year.

   (l)   "Primary trunkline" means a telephone line leading directly into the Public Safety Communications Center which is for the purpose of handling emergency calls on a person-to-person basis, and which is identified by a specific number in the telephone directory.

   (m)    "Safety-Service Director's Designee" means the employee of the City whose responsibility is to coordinate the administration and documentation of alarm business and alarm systems performance as it relates to the effective enforcement of the provisions of these sections.

(Ord. 21-146. Passed 9-7-21.)