Chapter 10.08 — ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT

The administration of traffic shall be a part of the general duties of the chief of police and officers under his supervision.

(Prior code § 13030)

It shall be the duty of the members of the police department to enforce the street traffic regulations of this city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in this city, to make arrests for traffic violations, to investigate traffic accidents, and to cooperate with the city traffic director and other officers of the city in the administration of the traffic laws and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out those duties specially imposed by this title and the traffic ordinance of this city.

(Prior code § 13031)

A.

Any provision of this code which regulates traffic or delegates the regulation of traffic upon state highways in any way for which the approval of the department of public works is required by state law, shall cease to

be operative six months after receipt by the city council of written notice of withdrawal of approval of the department of public works.

B.

Whenever this code delegates authority to a city officer, or authorizes action by the city council to regulate traffic upon a state highway in any way which by state law requires the prior approval of the department of public works, no such officer shall exercise such authority nor shall such action by the city council be effective with respect to any state highway without the prior approval in writing of the department of public works when and to the extent required by the Vehicle Code.

(Prior code § 13005)

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 city in connection with the enforcement of the parking regulations of this title shall, if done for the purpose of evading the provision of this title, constitute such interference or obstruction.

(Prior code § 13045)

Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the police department shall conduct studies of such accidents and determine remedial measures.

(Prior code § 13032)

The police department shall maintain a suitable system of filing traffic accident reports. Accident reports or cards referring to them shall be filed alphabetically by location. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of the city traffic director.

(Prior code § 13033)

The chief of police shall annually prepare a traffic report which shall be filed with the city council. Such a report shall contain information on traffic matters in this city as follows:

A.

The number of traffic accidents, the number of persons killed, the number of persons injured, and other pertinent traffic accident data;

B.

The number of traffic accidents investigated and other pertinent data on the safety activities of the police;

C.

The plans and recommendations of the police department for future traffic safety activities.

(Prior code § 13034)

A.

Officers of the police department and such officers as are assigned by the chief of police are 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.

B.

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 herein provided, any mechanical pushbutton signal erected by order of the city traffic director.

(Prior code §§ 13040, 13041)

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.

(Prior code § 13042)

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 (24) hours after such accident make a written report of such accident to the police department of this city.

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 of this section within twenty-four (24) hours after regaining ability to make such report.

(Prior code § 13048)

Any regularly employed and salaried officer of the police department of this city may remove or cause to be removed:

A.

Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for seventy-two (72) or more consecutive hours;

B.

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 ordinance or resolution of this city and signs are posted giving notice of such removal;

C.

Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway where the use of such street or highway or a 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 twenty-four (24) hours prior to the removal.

(Ord. 96-11 § 25; prior code § 13049)

Whenever the traffic director finds that any hedge, shrubbery or tree growing in a parkway obstructs the view of any intersection, or any traffic upon the streets approaching such intersection, he shall cause the hedge, shrubbery or tree to be immediately removed or reduced in height.

(Prior code § 13172)