For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALARM AGENT. The business, firm, corporation, or partnership designated and employed by the Alarm Board on behalf of the Police and Fire Departments to maintain, service, alter, repair, replace, move, and connect any burglar, hold-up, or fire alarm to the monitoring equipment and related paraphernalia to be maintained by the Police and Fire Departments at the central answering point within the city Police Department.
ALARM BOARD. The Board which performs the duties herein set out. The members of the Board shall be made up of the three members of the Board of Public Works and Safety and two members of the business community whose businesses utilize the alarm systems, set appointments to be made by the Mayor. No more than three members of the Board may be of the same political party. The Board shall perform the following duties:
(1) On behalf of the city, enter into a contractual agreement with an alarm agent;
(2) Acquire information to determine the effectiveness of this chapter;
(3) Contract for the acquisition, installation, and maintenance of appropriate equipment and related paraphernalia to grade the response by the Police and Fire Departments to alarms;
(4) Promulgate rules and regulations as are necessary to implement and carry out the intent of this chapter; and
(5) Perform other activities as may be required by the Fire Chief or Chief of Police to carry out, improve, and implement the intent of this chapter.
ALARM DEVICE. The portion of the alarm system located within or upon the premises of the alarm holder to detect entry into the premises by an unauthorized intruder or detect the presence of heat, smoke, fire, or drop in water pressure within the premises.
ALARM HOLDER. The owner, lessee, or person responsible for the existence of an alarm system within or upon his or her premises.
ALARM SYSTEM. An assembly of equipment and devices designed to signal or transmit a signal to monitoring equipment maintained at the city Police Department indicating the presence of a hazard the police or fire personnel are expected to respond to. An ALARM SYSTEM may include burglar, hold-up, robbery, fire, smoke, excess heat, or explosion warning devices. Included in the ALARM SYSTEM are alarm devices emitting sounds, flashing lights, or beacon hazard at the premises. For the purposes of this chapter, an ALARM SYSTEM shall not include:
(1) An alarm installed in or on a motor vehicle;
(2) An alarm designated and operated so that no notification is given to the Fire or Police Departments until after the occupants, an agent of the owner or lessee, or an agent of the alarm system business has checked the alarm site and determined that the alarm was possibly or probably the result of a fire or explosion or a burglary or an attempted burglary of the kind for which the alarm system was designed to give notice. The alarm shall be equipped to disconnect any exterior sounding alarm automatically within ten minutes of activation, except an alarm attached to a sprinkler system; or
(3) An alarm installed upon the premises occupied by the state or a municipal corporation or city; provided, however, this definition shall not exempt a facility owned or operated by any school corporation and the County Hospital.
AUTOMATIC DIALER. An alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines (as distinguished from dedicated telephone lines) a prerecorded voice message, or coded signal, indicating the existence of a hazard at the premises of the alarm holder.
BURGLAR ALARM. An alarm device activated automatically signaling the entry or attempted entry of an unauthorized intruder in or upon the premises of an alarm holder, or whose activation is to signal a robbery, an attempted robbery, a hold-up, an attempted hold-up, a burglary, or an attempted burglary at the premises.
CENTRAL ANSWERING POINT. An office maintained by the Police and Fire Departments to which burglar alarms and fire alarms are connected and where police and fire personnel supervise or monitor alarm signals through the use of monitoring equipment.
CITY. Any and all departments of the city, its officers, employees, agents, and servants, including elected officials and appointed officials.
DEDICATED TELEPHONE LINE. A telephone line which has as its sole use the transmission of an alarm signal from an alarm device to monitoring equipment.
DIRECT CONNECTION. The method of using a telephone line, or other transmission line which has as its sole use the transmission of a burglar alarm signal or a fire alarm signal from an alarm device to the monitoring equipment maintained at the central answering point.
FALSE ALARM. An alarm eliciting a Police or Fire Department response when the situation does not warrant such a response. This does not include alarms triggered by severe weather or atmospheric conditions or outside transmission lines.
FEES. Monies paid by an alarm holder to allow the alarm device to be connected to the central answering point.
FIRE. The city Fire Department.
LOCAL ALARM. Alarm equipment which when activated causes an audible and/or visual signal in or on the premises. This type of alarm equipment may or may not be a part of the alarm system.
MONITORING EQUIPMENT. An assembly of equipment and devices maintained at the central answering point which is part of the alarm system which registers the activation of an alarm device in response to which fire and police personnel are expected to respond.
POLICE. The city Police Department.
SERVICE CHARGE. An assessment by the Police or Fire Department against an alarm holder.
TROUBLE INDICATION. A transmitted signal different from a fire or burglar alarm signal, which indicates a mechanical or electrical problem within the alarm system.
(1987 Code, § 6-230) (Ord. 14, 1991, passed 5-20-1991)