Chapter 10.12
ENFORCEMENT

Sections:

10.12.010    Police chief duty.

10.12.020    Exemptions – Emergency vehicles.

10.12.030    Exemptions – Government vehicles, buses, taxicabs.

10.12.040    Removal authorized.

For statutory provisions on local authority to regulate traffic by means of traffic officers, see Vehicle Code §21100.

10.12.010 Police chief duty.

It is the duty of the police chief to enforce all traffic laws of the city, and all statutes applicable to the traffic in the city. In this he shall be assisted by the following and no others:

A. All officers of the police department, and by deputies, as directed;

B. All officers of the fire department, who may assist police officers in directing traffic at or near fires. (Prior code §13.9).

10.12.020 Exemptions – Emergency vehicles.

Regulations of this title pertaining to operation and parking of vehicles shall not apply to authorized emergency vehicles. Employees of every public jurisdiction shall obey traffic regulations except when operating vehicles which qualify as authorized emergency vehicles. (Prior code §13.11).

10.12.030 Exemptions – Government vehicles, buses, taxicabs.

A. The provisions of this title regulating the operation, parking and standing of vehicles shall not apply to authorized emergency 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 in the Vehicle Code in response to an emergency call.

B. 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, traffic control 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.

C. The provisions pertaining to time limit parking shall not apply to vehicles bearing city official parking permits when such vehicles are parked in zones other than red zones.

D. The provisions of this title regulating the parking or standing of vehicles shall not apply to:

1. Buses engaged as common carriers or taxicabs, while stopped in an unmarked crosswalk to load or unload passengers; or

2. Buses engaged as common carriers, schoolbuses or taxicabs while stopped in front of a public or private driveway to load or unload passengers.

E. The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, protect the operator of any such vehicle from the consequences of the operator’s willful disregard of the safety of other. (Ord. 1434 §4, 1991: Ord. 1379 §1, 1989; prior code §13.14).

10.12.040 Removal authorized.

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

A. Any vehicle that has been parked or left standing upon a street or highway for one hundred twenty or more consecutive hours;

B. Any unattended vehicle as set forth under Sections 22650 to 22856 of the Vehicle Code of the state. (Prior code §13.15).