Bell Municipal Code Art. I Intent and Definitions

A. The intent of this chapter is to encourage alarm users and alarm companies to properly use and maintain the operational effectiveness of alarm systems in order to improve the reliability of alarm systems and reduce or eliminate false alarms.

B. This chapter governs alarm systems intended to summon law enforcement response. This chapter describes registration procedure; defines associated alarm fees; provides and establishes fees, provides for penalties for false alarms; establishes a system of administration; and sets conditions for suspension of law enforcement response or revocation of registration.

C. This chapter, together with any amendments hereinafter enacted shall be known and may be cited as the "City of Bell Alarm Ordinance."

(Ord. 1180 § 1, 2010)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings ascribed to them unless otherwise noted:

"Alarm administrator"

means the chief of police of the City of Bell or his or her designee responsible to administer, control and review false alarm reduction efforts and administer the alarm program.

"Alarm agent"

means any person employed by an alarm business whose duties include installing, altering, maintaining, moving, repairing, replacing or servicing an alarm system.

"Alarm business" or "alarm installation company"

means any business engaged in the installation, maintenance, alteration or servicing of alarm systems or which responds to such alarm systems.

"Alarm screening system"

means a method of providing information from the alarm site to a predesignated monitoring location by means of audio, video, personal contact, or other type of device approved by the alarm administrator, which information shall be used to make a reasonable determination of the need for a police response prior to notifying the police or fire divisions of an activated alarm system.

"Alarm system"

means any device, whether mechanical, electrical or otherwise, which creates, produces, generates or relays any sound signal or message, whether audible or not, in order to detect the commission, or attempted commission, of any crime, fire or medical emergency. Such definition shall not include any alarm system:

Which is not used or intended to evoke any response from the police and which is intended for use solely by persons employed by the permittee or owner of the premises where it is installed or used;

Utilized by commercial telephone or telegraph utilities doing business and regulated by the public utilities commission;

Installed in, or used in connection with, any motor vehicle.

"Alarm user"

means any person or entity, who has contracted for monitoring, repair, installation or maintenance service from an alarm installation company and/or monitoring company for an alarm system, or who owns or operates an alarm system which is not monitored, maintained or repaired under contract.

"Applicant"

means any person who or which submits an application for a permit pursuant to any provision or section of this chapter and/or on whose behalf such permit is submitted.

"Audible alarm"

means any alarm system which is intended to, or can, be heard from outside of the building, structure or facility wherein such alarm system is installed.

"Authorized identification"

means the official identification card approved and issued by the California Department of Consumer Affairs to any permittee under this chapter, or to any authorized employee or agent of such permittee.

"Automatic communication device"

means any device, whether mechanical, electrical or other, capable of being programmed to send prerecorded sound, signal or message over a telephone line, radio or other communication system and used as part of, or in connection with, any alarm system.

"City"

means the City of Bell.

"Direct alarm"

means any alarm system connected to the city police by a leased telephone line having no intermediate station and terminating at a terminal monitor module at such division.

"Emergency"

means any condition which results in, or which could result in, the response of police, fire or paramedics in authorized emergency vehicles or any condition which jeopardizes or could jeopardize public safety and results in or could result in the evacuation of any area, building, vehicle, or of any other place which any individual may enter.

"False alarm"

means the activation of any alarm system because of malfunction, mechanical or electrical defect, improper operation or procedure by any person and no fire, crime or other emergency occurred requiring an immediate or emergency response by the city police or fire division. "False alarm" does not include an alarm system activated as a result of any malfunction of equipment owned or operated by the telephone company or resulting from the authorized servicing, testing, maintenance, adjustments, alterations or installations of such alarm system, provided that the respective permittee or authorized agent thereof, notifies the police division emergency communications supervisor prior to commencement of any of the aforesaid activities. "False alarm" also means a report including any oral or written statement, made by any person to any agency of the city that an emergency exists, and who knows, or should know under the existing circumstances, that such report is false.

"Indirect alarm"

means any alarm system other than a direct alarm as defined in this section, including any audible alarm, direct dial answering relay service or commercial telephone line.

"Notice"

means written notice of any act, event, decision, change, addition, deletion or modification as required or permitted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, given, served upon or mailed to any applicant or permittee or to any authorized employee or agent thereof.

Any notice personally served shall be effective at the time of such service.

Any notice mailed shall be effective on the third day thereafter provided such notice was deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid and addressed to the party to be notified as set forth on the party's last application or, if there be no such application, the last known address for such party.

"Permittee"

means any person who, or which, has been granted a permit pursuant to any provision of this chapter to install or maintain an alarm system in or on any building, structure, facility, trailer or upon any property or land which is owned, leased or rented by the applicant or any subscriber.

"Person"

means and includes, but is not limited to, a natural person, corporation, partnership, firm, association or other business.

"Police chief"

means the chief of the City of Bell or any person or persons designated by the police chief, and authorized to administer the provisions of this chapter.

"Primary trunk line"

means any telephone line installed for the City of Bell or any of its departments and to which is assigned a telephone number that is published in the directory of the public making and/or authorizing such installation and which is designed for general public use.

"Records"

means all written documents, diagrams, schematics, applications or other written material submitted pursuant to, and in compliance with, any provision of this chapter.

"Silent alarm"

means any alarm system, or portion thereof, which is designed to alert any person not present on the premises where such alarm system is installed.

Special Assignment.

The police department shall be deemed as being on "special assignment" when:

A police response occurs as a result of a fifth and/or subsequent false alarm from an alarm system at the same address or location within the same calendar year;

A police response occurs as a result of a false alarm to a location for which no permit has been issued or if issued, the permit has expired, or has been suspended or revoked.

"Subscriber"

means any person entitled or eligible by the provisions of this chapter to install and maintain an alarm system.

"Terminal monitor module"

means a device installed at the city police communications center to which direct alarms are connected by means of a leased telephone line.

"Visual alarm"

means any device which is intended to emit a lighted signal, beacon or message to visually alert any person, or persons, of a fire, crime, emergency, or other threat to personal or public safety within or about any building, structure or facility.

(Ord. 1180 § 1, 2010)