Robb, J.
Indiana Code section 36-8-12-11(a) allows members of a volunteer fire department to “display [illuminated] blue lights on their privately owned vehicles while en route to scenes of emergencies or to the fire station in the line of duty[,]” subject to certain conditions on the type and placement of the lights. A person who is not a member of a volunteer fire department “may not display an illuminated blue light on a vehicle.” Ind. Code § 36-8-12-11(c). To do so is a Class C infraction. Ind. Code § 36-8-12-11(e).
Bryan Falletti was cited for displaying illuminated blue lights from the rear window of his vehicle. Following a bench trial at which Falletti admitted he is not a member of a volunteer fire department, the trial court found he was in violation of section 36-8-12-11(c). Falletti appeals the trial court’s entry of judgment against him for the Class C infraction, arguing the trial court incorrectly interpreted the statute. Concluding the statute prohibits the lights displayed by Falletti, we affirm the judgment of the trial court.
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Falletti contends the trial court erred in determining he violated subsection (c) of this statute upon finding the statutory language is clear he could not display “two rear fac[ing] emergency style” illuminated blue lights whether “affixed on the interior or exterior” of the car. Appealed Order at 2. Falletti argues the phrase “on a vehicle” in subsection (c) is ambiguous and the rule of lenity should apply such that the phrase is interpreted in his favor to mean “on the exterior of a vehicle.” See Brief of Appellant at 8. He also argues subsection (a) of the statute is a specific grant of authority to volunteer firefighters to display blue lights as described in that subsection whereas subsection (c) is a general prohibition on non-volunteer firefighters usurping that specific authority. In other words, Falletti contends subsection (c) only prohibits the general public from displaying blue lights of the type and in the locations described in subsection (a).
No case has interpreted this statute, so we write on a clean slate.
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Here, the language of section 36-8-12-11 as a whole clearly and unambiguously expresses the legislature’s intent that members of volunteer fire departments are authorized to display illuminated blue lights on their vehicles to alert the public they are on the way to a fire emergency or other official business… Applying the plain and ordinary meaning of the language in section 36-8-12-11 in a manner consistent with the policy and goals of the statute, volunteer firefighters may display blue lights in limited places on their vehicles visible to the public, but non-volunteer firefighters may not display blue lights visible to the public at all.
Although this conclusion is based on the plain and ordinary meaning of the statute, even if there were conflicting reasonable interpretations, applying the canons of statutory construction would lead us to the same outcome.
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If we accepted Falletti’s contention that the phrase “on a vehicle” in subsection (c) is ambiguous and must be construed against the State to prohibit the display of blue lights only “on the exterior of a vehicle” driven by a non-volunteer firefighter, then the same construction should apply to that phrase wherever it appears in the statute. Subsection (a) states members of volunteer fire departments may display illuminated blue lights “on their . . . vehicles” at appropriate times and specifically allows volunteer firefighters to display blue lights both on the exterior and interior of their vehicles. See Ind. Code § 36-8- 12-11(a)(2) (specifying that lights must be placed on top of the vehicle, on the dashboard inside the vehicle, or on the front bumper). Thus, the expressed intent of the legislature is that to display “on a vehicle” as used in section 36-8-12-11 does not mean to display on the exterior of the vehicle only. To interpret the statute otherwise would cause it to be internally inconsistent.
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The text and context of section 36-8-12-11 allow volunteer firefighters and only volunteer firefighters to display illuminated blue lights. Falletti does not claim to be a volunteer firefighter and he does not contest that the blue lights in question were clearly displayed. He therefore committed a Class C infraction by displaying illuminated blue lights in his rear window.
The judgment of the trial court that Falletti committed a Class C infraction is affirmed.
Affirmed.
Weissmann, J., and Kenworthy, J., concur.