The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
means an extraordinary interruption by natural causes (such
as a flood or an earthquake) of the usual course of events that experience,
foresight, or care cannot reasonably foresee or prevent.
means the chief of police or his designated representative
who shall administer, control and review false alarm reduction efforts
and administer the provisions of this article.
means a person in the business of selling, providing, maintaining,
servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing an
alarm system in an alarm site. This definition shall also include
persons that install and service the alarm systems that will be used
in their private or proprietary facilities. This does not include
persons doing installation or repair work where such work is performed
without compensation of any kind (i.e., "do-it-yourselfers").
means a notification to the police department that an alarm,
either manual or automatic, has been activated at a particular alarm
site.
means the authorization granted by the alarm administrator
to an alarm user to operate an alarm system. Alarm permit means the
same as "permit" as defined in V.T.C.A., Local Government Code §
214.191(2).
means a single fixed premises or location (one street or
apartment address) served by an alarm system or systems that are under
the control of one owner or tenant. Each unit, if served by a separate
alarm system in a multi-unit office building or apartment complex,
shall be considered a separate alarm site and is further defined by
the following categories:
Residential site -
means a single-family residence and each residential unit
of multi-unit building or complex which is served by an alarm system.
Commercial site -
means every premises or location where any business activity
is regularly conducted and which is served by an alarm system. Each
unit of a business premises or business location, if served by a separate
alarm system in a multi-unit building or complex, shall be considered
a separate commercial alarm system site.
Educational site -
means every premises or location of a public or private school
or school administrative office.
Government site -
means every premises or location of any federal, state, county
or municipal government office.
means a device or series of devices, including, but not limited
to, a control panel, all types of sensors, and arming station(s),
which emit or transmit a remote or local audible, visual or electronic
signal indicating an alarm condition and intended to summon law enforcement
response, including unmonitored alarm systems. An alarm system may
include, but is not limited to, hardwired systems and systems interconnected
with a radio frequency method (such as cellular or private radio signals).
Alarm system does not include:
means any person, who (which) has contracted for monitoring,
repair, installation or maintenance service from an alarm installation
company or monitoring company for an alarm system, or who (which)
owns or operates an unmonitored alarm system.
means a device that allows control of an alarm system.
means any electrical, electronic, mechanical, or other device
capable of being programmed to send a pre-recorded voice message,
when activated, over a telephone line, radio or other communication
system, to the police department requesting dispatch.
means the process where a response is terminated when a monitoring
company (designated by the alarm user) for the alarm system notifies
the responding law enforcement agency that there is not an existing
situation at the alarm site requiring law enforcement agency response
after an alarm notification.
means the City of Richland Hills, Texas.
means the transaction or process by which one alarm installation
company or monitoring company begins the servicing and/or monitoring
of a previously unmonitored alarm system or an alarm system previously
serviced and/or monitored by another alarm installation company or
monitoring company.
means the city manager or the city manager's authorized representative.
means a silent alarm system signal generated by the entry
of a designated code into an arming station in order to signal that
the alarm user is being forced to turn off the system and requires
police department response.
means an alarm notification to the police department, when
the responding personnel find no evidence of unauthorized intrusion,
attempted unauthorized intrusion, robbery, attempted robbery or an
attempt to take a person hostage and the responding personnel arrived
within 30 minutes of the notification.
means a silent alarm system signal generated by the manual
activation of a device intended to signal a robbery in progress or
immediately after it has occurred.
means a license issued by the Texas Department of Public
Safety Private Security Bureau to an alarm installation company or
monitoring company to sell, install, monitor, repair, or replace alarm
systems.
means the process by which a third-party, including but not
limited to a monitoring company, receives signals from an alarm system
and relays an alarm notification to the police department for the
purpose of summoning police department personnel to the alarm site.
means a person in the business of providing monitoring services.
means the manual activation of a silent alarm system signal
by entering at an arming station a code that adds one to the last
digit of the normal arm/disarm code (e.g., normal code = 1234, One
Plus duress code = 1235).
means an audible alarm system signal generated by the manual
activation of a device intended to signal a life threatening or emergency
situation requiring police department response.
means an individual, corporation, partnership, association,
organization or similar entity.
means an individual capable of reaching the alarm site within
45 minutes and having access to the alarm site, the code to the alarm
system and the authority to approve repairs to the alarm system.
means the ANSI - American National Standard Institute approved
Security Industry Association - SIA CP-01 Control Panel Standard,
as may be updated from time to time, that details recommended design
features for security system control panels and their associated arming
and disarming devices to reduce the incidence of false alarms. Control
panels built and tested to this standard by Underwriters Laboratory
(UL), or other nationally recognized testing organizations, will be
marked to state: "Design evaluated in accordance with SIA CP-01 Control
Panel Standard Features for False Alarm Reduction."
means a telephone line leading into the communications center
of the police department which is used by monitoring companies for
alarm notifications.
means the transaction or process by which an alarm user takes
over control of an existing alarm system, which was previously controlled
by another alarm user.
means an alarm system that is not monitored, maintained,
or repaired under contract with a third-party that is capable of emitting
a signal at an alarm site that is audible or visible from the exterior
of the premises.
means an attempt by the monitoring company to determine the validity of an alarm system signal prior to requesting police department personnel to respond. The verification process to be utilized is described in appendix A, Alarm Verification and Notification Procedures with Annex A thereto, which are attached to Ordinance No. 1278-14 and are made a part hereof by reference. A copy of the procedures is available from the Richland Hills Police Department Communications Section.
means division of devices into which an alarm system is divided
to indicate the general location from which an alarm system signal
is transmitted.
[Ord. No. 1278-14, § 2, 7-1-2014]
