“Alarm site” means a single premises or location served by an alarm system or systems. Each tenancy, if served by a separate alarm system in a multi-tenant building or complex, shall be considered a separate alarm site.

“Alarm system” or “systems” means any mechanism, equipment, or device which is designated to detect an unauthorized entry into any building or onto any property, or to direct attention to a robbery, burglary, or other emergency in progress, and to signal the above occurrences either by a local or audible alarm or by a silent or remote alarm. The following devices shall not constitute alarm systems within the meaning of this chapter:

“Audible alarm system” means any device that is intended to provide the police department with notice of a robbery, burglary, unauthorized entry, or other emergency condition by means of an external bell or other noise-making device, whether or not the audible alarm system is also connected to an electric or electronic device communicating with What-Comm Communications Center.

“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 an emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.

“Central station” means an office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits on a continuous basis, and where there is subsequent relaying of such messages by a live voice to the police department.

“Duress alarm” means a silent signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a crisis situation requiring police response.

“Emergency” means the commission or attempted commission of a robbery, burglary or other criminal act.

“False alarm” means activation of an alarm system which results in an arrival at the alarm site by the police department where an emergency does not exist. It includes an alarm signal caused by conditions of nature, which are normal for that area. False alarm does not include an alarm signal caused by force majeure conditions such as, by way of example, extraordinarily violent conditions of nature such as tornadoes, floods, and earthquakes.

“Holdup alarm” means a silent signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a robbery in progress.

“Intrusion alarm” means an alarm system signaling an entry or attempted entry into the area protected by the system.

“Panic alarm” means an audible alarm system signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a life threatening or emergency situation requiring law enforcement response.

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

“Police department” means the Bellingham police department.

“Private guard responder” means a private guard company, an alarm company’s guard, an alarm user, or a person or entity appointed by an alarm user to be responsible to confirm that an attempted or actual crime has occurred at an alarm site.

“Service suspension” means a period of time when the police department will not respond to reports of property related alarms. [Ord. 2004-08-059].