(A) Authority of Police and Fire Department officials.
(1) It shall be the duty of the Town Marshal or such officers as are assigned by the Town Marshal to enforce all street traffic laws of this town and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in this town.
(2) Officers assigned by the Town Marshal are authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or 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, the Town Marshal and his or her deputies may direct traffic as conditions may require, notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.
(B) Required obedience to traffic provisions. It is a misdemeanor for any person to do any act forbidden or fail to perform any act required in this title.
(C) Obedience to police officials. No person shall willfully fail to refuse or comply with any lawful order or direction of the Town Marshal or his or her deputies.
(D) Government and emergency vehicles.
(1) The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the driver of any vehicle owned by or used in the service of the United States Government, this state, county or town, and it shall be unlawful for any driver to violate any of the provisions of this title, except as otherwise permitted in this chapter or by state statute.
(2) The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle, when responding to an emergency call, when in the pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the law or when responding to but not upon returning from a fire alarm, may exercise the privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions herein stated. The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
(a) Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this title;
(b) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, only after slowing down, as may be necessary for safe operation;
(c) Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he or she does not endanger life or property;
(d) Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions.
(3) The exemptions herein granted to an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of any vehicle, while in motion, sounds audible signal by bell, siren or exhaust whistle as may be reasonably necessary and when the vehicle is equipped with at least one lighted lamp displaying a red light visible under normal atmospheric conditions from a distance of 500 feet to the front of such vehicle.
(4) The foregoing provisions shall not relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons, nor shall such provisions protect the driver from the consequences of his or her reckless disregard for the safety of others.
(`77 Code, § 30.01) Penalty, see § 70.99