Porterville Municipal Code § 17-2 Police Administration

There is hereby established in the police department of this city a traffic division to be under the control of an officer of police appointed by and directly responsible to the chief of police. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)

It shall be the duty of the traffic division, with such aid as may be rendered by other 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 engineer 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 upon said division by this chapter and the traffic ordinances of this city. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)

Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the traffic division shall cooperate with the city traffic engineer in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)

The traffic division 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 engineer. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)

The traffic division 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 division for future traffic safety activities. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)

The office of city traffic engineer is hereby established. The city engineer shall serve as city traffic engineer in addition to his other functions and shall exercise the powers and duties with respect to traffic as provided in this chapter. Whenever the city traffic engineer is required or authorized to place or maintain official traffic control devices or signals, he may cause such devices or signals to be placed or maintained. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)

It shall be the general duty of the city traffic engineer to determine the installation and proper timing and maintenance of traffic control devices and signals, to conduct engineering analyses of traffic accidents and to devise remedial measures, to conduct engineering and traffic investigations of traffic conditions, and to cooperate with other city officials in the development of ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out the additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of this city. Whenever, by the provisions of this chapter, a power is granted to the city traffic engineer or a duty imposed upon him, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by his deputy or by a person authorized in writing by him. (Ord. 1162 § 1, 12-5-1978)