As used in this chapter, the following words and terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section:
ALARM COORDINATOR: The police department crime prevention officer or any other person designated by the chief of police.
ALARM SYSTEM: Any assembly of equipment, mechanical or electrical, arranged to signal the occurrence of any illegal or other entry or other activity requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond. Consideration shall be made by the alarm coordinator in making the determination as to who would reasonably be expected to respond to an alarm signal and the nuisance value of the alerting device. Individual devices such as smoke detectors which emit audible or visual signals and which are primarily designed to alert occupants of a premises of an impending fire or medical emergency shall not be considered as an alarm system nor be subject to the restrictions set forth herein.
ALARM USER: The person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind in control of the premises or property where an alarm system is maintained.
AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE ALARM: A telephone device or attachment which automatically relays a prerecorded message to report a robbery, burglary, fire or other emergency by means of a telephone line.
FALSE ALARM: Any alarm system emitting a signal prompting a response by the police that was activated other than for an emergency situation or an unlawful act.
Severe weather, electrical outages, transmission line malfunctions, acts of God, malicious acts of persons not under the control of the alarm user or any other cause clearly beyond the control of the alarm user may be considered in determining if an alarm was false and whether or not any fee, fine, warning or punitive action should be directed to the alarm user as provided by this chapter.
PRIVATE ALARM MONITOR AGENCY (MONITORING SERVICE): Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation or organization which contracts with an alarm user to receive and initiate action on alarm systems signals. (Ord. 608, 11-21-1994)