Chapter 10.12 — ENFORCEMENT

Officers of the police department and such officers as are assigned by the chief of police are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand, audible or other signal in conformance with traffic laws, except that in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the police department or members of the fire department may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions to the contrary contained in this title or the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 461 § 3, 1966)

No person other than an officer of the police department or members of the fire department or a person authorized by the chief of police or a person authorized by law shall direct or attempt to direct traffic by voice, hand or other signal, except that persons may operate, when and as provided in this title, any mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the traffic engineer.

(Ord. 461 § 3.1, 1966)

No person shall fail or refuse to comply with or to perform any act forbidden by any lawful order, signal, or direction of a traffic or police officer, or a member of the fire department, or a person authorized by the chief of police or by law.

(Ord. 461 § 3.2, 1966)

Every person riding a bicycle or riding or driving an animal upon a highway has all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except those provisions which by their very nature can have no application.

(Ord. 461 § 3.3, 1966)

No person shall interfere with or obstruct in any way any police officer or other officer or employee of this city, in their enforcement of the provisions of this title. The removal, obliteration or concealment of any chalk mark or other distinguishing mark used by any police officer or other employee or officer of this town in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this title, if done for the purpose of evading the provisions of this title, constitutes such interference or obstruction.

(Ord. 461 § 3.4, 1966)

The provisions of this title shall apply to the operator of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government, this state, any county or city, and it is unlawful for any said operator to violate any of the provisions of this title except as otherwise permitted in this title or by the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 461 § 3.5, 1966)

(a)

The provisions of this title regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to vehicles operated by the police or fire departments, any public ambulance or any public utility vehicle or any private ambulance has qualified as an authorized emergency vehicle, when any vehicle mentioned in this section is operated in the manner specified by the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

(b)

The exemptions in (a) shall not, however, relieve the operator of any such vehicle from obligation to exercise due care for the safety of others or the consequences of his willful disregard of the safety of others.

(c)

The provisions of this title regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to any vehicle of a town department or public utility while necessarily in use for construction or repair work or any vehicle

owned or operated by the United States Post Office Department while in use for the collection, transportation or delivery of United States mail.

(Ord. 461 § 3.6, 1966)

(a)

The operator of a vehicle or the person in charge of any animal involved in any accident resulting in damage to any property publicly owned or owned by a public utility, including but not limited to any fire hydrant, parking meter, lighting post, telephone pole, electric light or power pole, or resulting in damage to any tree, traffic control device or other property of a like nature located in or along any street shall within twenty-four hours after such accident make a written report of such accident to the police department of this town.

(b)

Every such report shall state the time when and the place where the accident took place, the name and address of the person owning and of the person operating or in charge of such vehicle or animal, the license number of every such vehicle, and shall briefly describe the property damage in such accident.

(c)

The operator of any vehicle involved in an accident shall not be subject to the requirements or penalties of this section if and during the time he is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he shall make a report as required in subsection (a) within twenty-four hours after regaining ability to make such reports.

(Ord. 461 § 3.7, 1966)

Any member of the police authority of this town may remove or cause to be removed:

(1)

Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for seventy-two or more consecutive hours consistent with Section 10.40.050 of this title;

(2)

Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m. when such parking or standing is prohibited by ordinances or resolution of this town and signs are posted giving notice of such removal;

(3)

Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of such street or highway or portion thereof is necessary for the cleaning, repair or construction of the street or highway or for the installation of underground utilities or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is

authorized for a purpose other than the normal flow of traffic or where the use of the street or highway or any portion thereof is necessary for the movement of equipment, articles or structures of unusual size, and the parking of such vehicles would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement; provided that signs giving notice that such vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least seventy-two hours prior to the removal;

(4)

Any vehicle parked or left standing in violation of any of the provisions contained in Chapters 10.40 or 10.44 of this title, as long as signs are posted giving notice of the town's right to remove such vehicles, if such signs are otherwise required by state or town law;

(5)

Any vehicle parked or left standing in violation of any state or federal law, the enforcement of which may be exercised by the police authority and for which removal of the vehicle is permitted by law.

(Ord. 804 § 3, 1996: Ord. 461 § 3.8, 1966)

(Ord. No. 988, § 2, 8-20-2019)