Anderson Municipal Code Art. II Definitions

For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them by this section.

A. "Alarm company" means any person, retail establishment, organization, answering service, central station or modified central station that installs, connects, or monitors burglary, robbery, or other alarm security systems for profit or other consideration. Such companies must be licensed in accordance with Business and Professions Code Section 7590 et seq.

B. "Alarm system" means any mechanical or electrical device which is designed or used for the protection against an authorized entry into a building, structure, or facility or for alerting others of the commission of an unlawful act within a building, structure or facility and which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message when activated. The following devices shall not constitute an alarm system within the meaning of this subsection:

1. Alarm devices affixed to motor vehicles; and

2. Alarm devices installed on a temporary basis by the police department.

C. "Alarm user" means any person who receives continuing maintenance service under contract from an alarm company.

D. "Answering service" means a telephone answering service providing among its services the receiving on a continuous basis emergency signals from alarm systems, and the subsequent immediate relaying of said messages based on such signals by live voice to the communications center of the police department.

E. Automatic dialing device" means an alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a prerecorded voice message indicating the existence of the emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.

F. "Central station" means an office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits, and where guards and/or service persons are continuously present to investigate signals.

G. "Direct line" means a telephone line leading directly from a central station to the communication center of the police department where said line is used only to report emergency signals on a person-to-person basis.

H. For purposes of this chapter, "emergency" means the commission or attempted commission of a robbery or burglary, or other imminent felony or felony in commission.

I. Excessive False Alarms. An alarm system shall be deemed to actuate excessive false alarms when there are three false alarms within thirty consecutive days, five false alarms within ninety consecutive days, or six false alarms within one hundred eighty consecutive days. If a permittee presents sufficient proof that a particular false alarm was caused by an event or act specified in Section 9.68.030(J) of this chapter, said false alarm shall not be counted against the permittee in determining whether the permittee's alarm system actuated excessive false alarms.

J. "False alarm" means the activation of an alarm system which results in a response by the police department where an emergency does not exist. False alarms which fall into the following two categories shall not be counted against a permittee under Section 9.68.130(A)(2) for the purpose of suspension or revocation of an alarm system permit:

1. False alarms which the permittee can demonstrate were proximately caused by severe storms, earthquakes, or other violent acts of nature;

2. False alarms which the permittee can demonstrate were actually caused by the act of some person other than:

a. The permittee. For the purpose of this subsection, "permittee" includes officers, agents, employees, independent contractors, and any other persons subject to the direct or indirect control of the permittee;

b. The person who installed, connected, operated, maintained or serviced the alarm system;

c. The manufacturer of the alarm system, including the manufacturer's officers, agents, employees, independent contractors and any other persons subject to the direct or indirect control of the manufacturer.

K. "Felony", as defined in California Penal Code Section 17, means a crime which is punishable by death or by imprisonment in the state prison.

L. His. Use of the masculine gender in this chapter is intended to include the feminine gender as well.

M. "Interconnect" means to connect an alarm system to a telephone line, either directly or through a mechanical device that utilizes a standard telephone, for the purpose of using the telephone line to transmit an emergency message upon the activation of the alarm system.

N. Liaison. The chief of police will provide a representative to be available to alarm companies to help resolve disputed false alarms.

O. "Modified central station" means an office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits but where guards are not present to investigate alarm signals.

P. "Panic alarm" means any electrical or mechanical device designed to enable an individual, twenty-four hours a day, to instantly alert others of the existence of an emergency (as defined in subsection H of this section) by the sounding of an audible alarm or transmitting a signal or message when activated.

Q. "Permittee" means the person to whom an alarm system permit is issued.

R. "Person" means and includes natural persons without regard to number or gender, and any partnership, corporation, and any other type of legal entity.

S. "Primary trunkline" means a telephone line leading directly into the communication center of the police department, including 911 emergency lines, for the purpose of handling emergency calls on a person-to-person basis, and which is identified as such by a specific number included among the emergency numbers listed in the telephone directory issued by the telephone company, covering the service area within the police department's jurisdiction.

T. "Robbery alarm system" means any device or system designed to operate night or day to instantly transmit a silent signal to alert others of an actual armed robbery or holdup in progress.

U. "Special trunkline" means a telephone line leading into the communication center of the police department and having the primary purpose of handling emergency signals or messages originating through a central station, modified central station, or answering service.

V. "Siren" means any audible noise similar to that which must be sounded by an authorized emergency vehicle under the conditions set forth in Section 21055 of the California Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 560 § 1 (Exh. A (part)), 1989)