Whittier Municipal Code Ch. 10.08 Administration and Enforcement

It shall be the duty of the chief of police and the members of the police department to enforce the street traffic regulations of the city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in the 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 the chief of police and the members of the police department by this title.

(Prior code § 3420.20)

The office of city traffic engineer is established. The city traffic engineer shall be appointed by the city manager and he/she shall exercise the powers and duties as provided in this title and in the traffic ordinances of the city.

(Prior code § 3420.24)

(Ord. No. 3112, § 2, 2-25-20)

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

B. Officers of the county fire department, when at the scene of a fire or when in the course of their duties they are protecting the persons or equipment of the county fire department, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.30)

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

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.33)

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 operator to violate any of the provisions of this title except as otherwise permitted in this title or by the Vehicle Code.

(Prior code § 3420.34)

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

B. The exemptions in subsection A of this section shall not, however, relieve the operator of any such vehicle from the consequences of his/her wilful 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 city department or public utility while necessarily in use for construction or repair work.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.35)

(Ord. No. 3112, § 2, 2-25-20)

Whenever the accidents at any particular location become numerous, the traffic bureau shall cooperate with the city traffic engineer in conducting studies of such accidents and determining remedial measures.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.21)

The traffic bureau of 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. The reports shall be available for the use and information of the city traffic engineer.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.22)

The traffic bureau shall annually prepare a traffic report which shall be filed with the city council. Such a report shall contain information on traffic matters in the 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.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.23)

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

A. Any vehicle parked or left standing upon a street or highway for seventy-two or more consecutive hours;

B. Any vehicle which is parked or left standing upon a street or highway when the 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 the 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 the vehicle would prohibit or interfere with such use or movement, and signs giving notice that the vehicle may be removed are erected or placed at least twenty-four hours prior to the removal;

D. Any vehicle parked or left standing in violation of an ordinance or resolution of the city prohibiting such parking, where signs have been posted giving notice of such removal;

E. Any vehicle which is removed, pursuant to subsections A, B, C or D of this section shall be stored, processed and thereafter released only in accordance with Section 22850 et seq. of the Vehicle Code.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 3420.37)

A. The city council finds and determines that the following named streets and roads within and near the Whittwood Mall in the city are privately owned and maintained streets and roads, which are generally held, open for the use for the public for the purposes of vehicular traffic. The streets and roads are so connected with the highways and public streets that the general public cannot determine that the privately owned and maintained streets and roads are not public highways and public streets. The following privately owned and maintained streets and roads, located in the Whittwood Mall and described, are the streets and roads affected by this section and referred to:

B. Pursuant to the provisions of Section 21107.5 of the Vehicle Code, which section is entitled "Private Roads Opened for Public Use," the city council declares that the provisions of the title and the provisions of the Vehicle Code shall apply to the aforementioned and above-described privately owned and maintained streets and roads unless there is posted on the private street or road a notice of such size, shape and color as to be readily legible during the daylight hours from a distance of one hundred feet, to the effect that the private street or road is privately owned and maintained and that it is not subject to public traffic regulation and control.

C. The city council further finds and determines that so long as the abovementioned streets and roads are not so posted that the city shall provide traffic law enforcement on the streets and roads and that the streets and roads shall be subject to all of the provisions of this title and the Vehicle Code. The city does not and it shall not be deemed to have assumed any responsibility or liability for the maintenance, care or repair of the privately owned and maintained streets and roads, nor shall the city be liable for any damages or liability resulting from any defective conditions on the privately owned and maintained streets and roads or any disrepair thereof.

D. The city traffic engineer is authorized and directed to obtain, post and maintain the usual and necessary signs notifying the general public of the traffic regulations on the privately owned and maintained streets and roads. Such signs shall be in accordance with and pursuant to the provisions of the Vehicle Code.

(Ord. 2761 § 1, 2000: prior code § 3539)