There is established in the police department of the 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. 71-6 §2, 1971)
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 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 co-operate 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 title and the traffic ordinances of the city.
(Ord. 71-6 §2.1, 1971)
The office of city traffic engineer is established. The city traffic engineer shall be appointed by the council, and he or she shall exercise the powers and duties as provided in this title and in the traffic ordinance of the city. Whenever the city traffic engineer is required or authorized to place or maintain official traffic-control devices or signals, he or she may cause such devices or signals to be placed or maintained.
(Ord. 71-6 §2.5, 1971; Ord. 79-2 §1, 1979)
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 the 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 the city. Whenever, by the provisions of this title a power is granted to the city traffic engineer or a duty imposed upon him or her, the power may be exercised or the duty performed by his or her deputy or by a person authorized in writing by him or her.
(Ord. 71-6 §2.6, 1971)
There is established an advisory committee to serve without compensation, consisting of the city traffic engineer, the chief of police or in his or her discretion as his or her representative the chief of the traffic division, a member of the city council and one representative each from the city engineer's office and the city attorney's office and such number of other city officers and representatives of unofficial bodies as may be determined and appointed by the mayor. The chairman of the committee shall be appointed by the mayor and may be removed by him or her.
(Ord. 71-6 §2.7, 1971)
It shall be the duty of the traffic committee to suggest the most practicable means for coordinating the activities of all officers and agencies of this city having authority with respect to the administration or enforcement of traffic regulations; to stimulate and assist in the preparation and publication of traffic reports; to receive complaints having to do with traffic matters; and to recommend to the legislative body of this city and to the city traffic engineer, the chief of the traffic division and other city officials ways and means for improving traffic conditions and the administration and enforcement of traffic regulations.
(Ord. 71-6 §2.8, 1971)
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 of the contrary contained in this title or the Vehicle Code.
(Ord. 71-6 §3, 1971)
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 provisions of this title, constitute such interference or obstruction.
(Ord. 71-6 §3.4, 1971)
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 city traffic engineer.
(Ord. 71-6 §3.1, 1971)
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. 71-6 §3.3, 1971)
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. 71-6 §3.5, 1971)
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 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 by the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.
B. 
The foregoing exemptions 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 or her 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 city 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 while in use for the collection, transportation, or delivery of United States mail.
(Ord. 71-6 §3.6, 1971)
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. 71-6 §2.2, 1971)
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. 71-6 §2.3, 1971)
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 the 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 or she is physically incapable of making a report, but in such event he or she shall make a report as required in subsection A of this section within twenty-four hours after regaining ability to make such report.
(Ord. 71-6 §3.7, 1971)