§ 86-5. Traffic control and regulation agencies.

(a)

Authority to direct traffic.

(1)

Police officers and other persons designated by the chief are hereby authorized to direct traffic by voice, hand, or signal in conformance with traffic laws, and in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, they may direct traffic as temporary conditions require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws. Personnel of the fire department have the same authority to direct traffic as police officers in the absence of police department personnel when necessary in the performance of their duties with the fire department.

(2)

The chief, by and with the approval of the traffic engineer, is hereby empowered to make regulations necessary to make effective the provisions of the traffic ordinances of city-parish consolidated government and to make and enforce temporary or experimental regulations to cover emergencies or special conditions. No such temporary or experimental regulation shall remain in effect for more than 90 days.

(3)

The chief may authorize the temporary placing of official traffic-control devices when required by an emergency, road conditions or otherwise. The chief shall notify traffic engineer of the action as soon thereafter as is practicable.

(b)

Traffic enforcement and crash analysis.

(1)

It shall be the duty of the police department to enforce the traffic ordinances of city-parish consolidated government and state vehicle code, to make arrests or issue citations for traffic violations or infractions, to investigate traffic crashes and to cooperate with the traffic engineer and other officers of city-parish consolidated government in the administration of traffic laws and in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions, and to carry out those duties imposed by this chapter.

(2)

Whenever vehicle crashes at a particular location become numerous, the police department shall cooperate with the traffic engineer in conducting studies of such crashes and determining remedial measures.

(3)

The police department shall maintain a suitable system of filing traffic crash reports. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of traffic engineer, and shall be available for public inspection during normal office hours. A person may obtain a copy of a traffic crash report upon payment of the appropriate fee.

(c)

Impounding vehicles, generally. When authorized by ordinances of city-parish consolidated government and/or the laws of this State, police officers may remove a vehicle from a street to the nearest garage or other place of safety in accordance with applicable ordinances of city-parish consolidated government.

(1)

Whenever a police officer removes a vehicle from a street as authorized in this section and the police department knows or is able to ascertain the name and address of the registered owner thereof, such police department shall, as soon as practical, give or cause to be given notice in writing to the address on file with the office of motor vehicles to such owner of the fact of such removal and the reason therefore and of the place to which such vehicle has been removed. In the event such vehicle is stored in a garage, a copy of such notice shall be given to the proprietor of such garage.

(2)

Whenever a police officer removes a vehicle from a street under this section and does not know and is not able to ascertain the name of the owner, or is unable to give the notice to the owner as herein provided, and in the event the vehicle is not returned to the owner within a period of 90 days, the police department shall immediately thereafter send or cause to be sent a written report of such removal by mail to the office of motor vehicles and shall file a copy of such notice with the proprietor of the garage in which the vehicle is stored. Such notice shall include a complete description of the vehicle, the date, time, and place from which removed, the reason for such removal, and name of the garage or place where the vehicle is stored.

(d)

Impounding vehicles of scofflaws.

(1)

Whenever a police officer has knowledge that a person has failed to satisfy two traffic citations and that an arrest warrant has been issued for such person for these citations and the police officer finds a vehicle registered in the name of such person upon a street, the police officer may impound or immobilize such vehicle.

(2)

Immobilization of a vehicle under this section shall be in a manner as to prevent its operation by means of a device that will not damage the vehicle unless the vehicle is moved. Notice of immobilization shall be attached to the vehicle in a conspicuous manner.

(3)

After impounding or immobilizing a vehicle under this section, notice shall be given in writing to its registered owner as reflected in the records of the office of motor vehicles.

(Ord. No. O-025-2006, § 1, 3-7-06)