As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM COMPANY
A person or business that sells, provides, monitors, maintains,
services, repairs, alters, replaces, moves or installs an alarm system.
This includes an individual or business that installs an alarm system
for his or its private or proprietary facilities.
ALARM OFFICER
A designee of the Police Department responsible for administration
of the alarm program. The Alarm Officer is charged with the responsibility
of reviewing alarm activations, service fee billing, reporting on
problematic alarm systems and serving as a resource to the community.
ALARM SYSTEM
A device or series of devices that emits or transmits a remote
or local audible, visual or electronic signal indicating an alarm
has been activated and is intended or is likely to result in the summoning
of police services. This does not include an alarm installed in a
vehicle unless the vehicle is permanently located at the site.
ALARM USER
Any homeowner, renter, lessee, or other resident and any
renter, lessee, or owner of a business or other establishment or building
(other than a government facility) who is primarily responsible for
an alarm system and/or an activation of the alarm system.
ALARM VERIFICATION
An alarm that has been independently verified by a third
party other than the Police Department confirming that the alarm was
activated as the result of a crime or incident requiring the police
to investigate.
AUTOMATIC VOICE DIALER
Any electronic, mechanical or other device that, when activated,
automatically contacts the Police Department by telephone, radio or
other means requesting police services through a prerecorded message
or other automated system.
CANCELLATION
The notification of the Police Department by the person who
initially requests police response to a non-high-risk alarm activation
that the situation does not require a police response.
CONTACT PERSON
One or more individuals, or a private business, that can
respond to the alarm location to assist police and fire services to
thoroughly inspect the property, secure unlocked doors and windows,
deactivate or reset an alarm, and/or take responsibility for protected
property.
FALSE ALARM
Any alarm where a responding officer(s), having completed
a timely investigation of the alarm site, finds no reasonable evidence
of a criminal offense. False alarms include avoidable alarms whereby
the alarm activation caused by noncriminal behavior could have been
avoided with simple preventative measures.
HIGH-RISK ALARMS
Include panic, duress, silent, robbery, holdup and/or any
similarly labeled alarm that suggests the alarm has been manually
activated and a crime is in progress or there is some other life threatening
event. High-risk alarms also include commercial establishments, such
as gas stations, banks, jewelry stores and/or businesses with cash
or valuables commonly victimized by robbery or commercial thefts.
NUISANCE ALARM
Any alarm that activates repeatedly and/or unnecessarily
within the same twenty-four-hour period, emits an outside audible
that does not reset after 10 minutes, emits an outside audible that
sounds more than twice from the same activation, and/or when the Chief
of Police, or a designee, determines the alarm is a nuisance due to
a violation(s) of these rules and regulations.
An alarm user and/or an alarm company may be
fined for violations of these rules and regulations. The levels of
fines to be assessed by the Police Department are subject to Town
Meeting endorsement.
In the interest of public safety, all employees
or representatives of the Town of Lexington will hold confidential
all information contained in alarm registrations and/or information
that specifically identifies an alarm system.
Alarm registration is not intended to, nor will
it, create a contract, duty or obligation, either expressed or implied,
of response. Any and all liability and consequential damages resulting
from the failure to respond to a notification are hereby disclaimed.
Governmental immunity, as provided by law, is retained. By registering
an alarm, the alarm user and the alarm company acknowledge that law
enforcement response may be influenced by factors such as, but not
limited to, the availability of police units, priority of calls, weather
conditions, traffic conditions, emergency conditions, staffing levels
and prior response history.