Sec. 5.5. (a) This section applies to a fire lane that is located on property that is privately or publicly owned.

(b) A person may not stop, stand, or park a vehicle in a fire lane.

(c) A fire lane must be marked with the words "No Parking Fire Lane" in white letters and a stripe of at least four (4) inches in width, in conformance with the Indiana Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. The words and stripe must be placed twelve (12) feet from the sidewalk, curb, or building. The words "No Parking Fire Lane" must be positioned between the stripe and the sidewalk, curb, or building.

(d) This section does not prohibit a county, city, or town from adopting and enforcing an ordinance that regulates stopping, standing, and parking motor vehicles in a fire lane.

(e) An ordinance adopted under subsection (d) may not conflict with this section.

(f) A law enforcement agency authorized to enforce:

(1) subsection (b); or

(2) an ordinance adopted under subsection (d);

may appoint volunteers to issue complaints and summonses for violations of subsection (b) or an ordinance adopted under subsection (d).

(g) To issue complaints and summonses, a volunteer appointed under subsection (f) must:

(1) be at least twenty-one (21) years of age;

(2) complete a course of instruction concerning the enforcement of this chapter that is conducted by the appointing law enforcement agency;

(3) after successfully completing the course of instruction, obtain a certificate from the executive authority of the appointing law enforcement agency; and

(4) satisfy any other qualifications established by the law enforcement agency.

(h) The executive authority of a law enforcement agency that appoints volunteers under subsection (f) shall file a copy of each certificate issued under subsection (g)(3) with the prosecuting attorney having jurisdiction over the area served by the law enforcement agency.

(i) A complaint and summons issued by a volunteer appointed under subsection (f) has the same force and effect as a complaint and summons issued by a law enforcement officer for the same violation.

(j) A volunteer appointed under subsection (f) does not have powers of a law enforcement officer, except those powers granted under this section.

(k) The executive authority of a law enforcement authority that appoints a volunteer under subsection (f) may, at any time, revoke the certificate issued to the volunteer under subsection (g)(3). If a certificate is revoked under this subsection:

(1) the executive authority shall notify the prosecuting attorney with whom the certificate was filed under subsection (h) of the revocation; and

(2) the volunteer's powers under this section terminate immediately upon the revocation.

(l) A volunteer appointed under subsection (f) may not issue a complaint and summons upon private property unless the law enforcement agency that appointed the volunteer first receives permission from the property owner or the property manager.

(m) A property owner is not liable for property damage or personal injury resulting from the actions of a volunteer appointed under subsection (f) issuing a complaint and summons.

As added by P.L.59-1993, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.8-2003, SEC.2.