Police Department - Traffic
Traffic Crash Investigation & Reconstruction
The department traffic officer is responsible for the investigation and/or reconstruction of serious/life-threatening and/or fatal automobile crashes. He is certified by the State of Illinois as a Traffic Crash Reconstruction Specialist. The traffic officer is also a member of K.C.A.R.T.
What is K.C.A.R.T.?
K.C.A.R.T. is the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team. The team is managed by the Kane County Sheriff’s Department and is a division of the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force. The team consists of officers from numerous law-enforcement agencies in Kane County who are trained and certified accident investigators and traffic crash reconstruction specialists. The team uses the latest crash investigation tools and technology to collect data and reconstruct crash scenes. Information gathered by K.C.A.R.T. from crash scenes is used to determine if criminal charges are warranted by the State’s Attorney’s Office. K.C.A.R.T. is entering its third year of responding to crashes. It handled 25 crashes during 2006, its first year. Statistics for 2007 still are being gathered.
What kind of incidents does the team handle?
K.C.A.R.T. team members respond to:
- Any traffic crash resulting in or likely to result in felony prosecution
- Any single-vehicle fatal crash with multiple victims, including driver
- Any fatal crash involving a motor vehicle vs. pedestrian
- Any fatal crash involving two or more motor vehicles
- Any crash that has caused serious injury or disfigurement that eventually could result in death
- Any traffic crash that results in serious injury involving a municipally owned vehicle of a member agency
- Any major crime scene requiring forensic mapping
- A special request by the Chief of Police of a member agency or the State’s Attorney
How do agencies benefit from using K.C.A.R.T.?
- Crash scenes are cleared more quickly and the at-scene investigation is performed more efficiently
- Investigators assigned to the team maintain their skill levels by handling more crashes than would be expected for their own agency
- The team concept builds on strengths of its team members, resulting in the “whole being greater than the sum of its parts”
- Crash investigations are more standardized and the overall credibility of investigations is enhanced, resulting in more effective prosecutions and less time in civil court
- The team provides for an independent investigation of serious crashes involving emergency vehicles, positively affecting credibility
- Newly trained accident investigators participate in a mentoring program, allowing them to observe and assist in serious crashes before taking actual responsibilities as crash investigators
- Member agencies have the benefit of specialized equipment and training provided by KCART
How does KCART get called out?
KCART is divided into two teams that respond to crashes based on where they occur. Depending on the scope and severity of the crash, anywhere from two to 10 investigators may be assigned to the crash. Any police agency in Kane County can call for K.C.A.R.T. K.C.A.R.T. investigators handle the technical investigation of the crash, while assisting the host agency with investigative steps. All decisions regarding prosecution, evidence and handling of the incident remain under the control of the host agency. K.C.A.R.T. simply is available to provide a thorough investigation and reconstruction, if necessary, using resources that are not always available to each department. K.C.A.R.T. hosts monthly training sessions in which investigators practice with staged crash scenes or attend presentations on the latest available technology. The team has benefited from grants received from the Kane County DUI Task Force, as well as sponsorship by the Kane County Chiefs of Police Association.
Why does K.C.A.R.T. step in on car crashes?
KCART simply is available to provide a thorough investigation and reconstruction, if necessary, using resources that are not always available to each department
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