TWELVE POLICE officers have been selected for training in forensic accident investigation and reconstruction techinque.
The officers who all have strong background in physics and mathematics are being trained in a new scientific approach to investigating road accidents.
It involves the scientific analysis of physical evidence that is left behind after a collision that has resulted or could result in fatalities.
The concept employs Newton's law of motion which states that an object in motion tends to remain in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by some outside force.
On completion of the course, the officers should be able to determine the distance of a vehicle from a pedestrian at the time of crossing, the minimum speed at which a vehicle was travelling at the time of collision, the point at which the driver applied his brakes and the point of impact and projection of throw of victims.
Evidence that is considered critical to this type of investigation includes skid marks made made by the tires and the distance at which persons are thrown either from a motor vehicle or when hit by the vehicle. Mathematical formulae are then applied to the physical evidence to arrive at a conclusion.
From this analysis an investigating officer could reconstruct an accident on a scaled drawing and present it as evidence in the courts.
It is hoped that the new technique, being easy to understand by persons in the legal profession, should help to reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents as the courts would be better able to determine the culpability of drivers, especially those that have been involved in more than one accident.
The idea for the programme came about as a result of widespread criticisms regarding police investigations of traffic accidents. The new programme is expected to improve the qual-ity of investigations and raise it to a more professional standard.
The training is being handled by the Police Corporate Strategy Unit set up to reform and modernise the Jamaica Constabulary Force.
The twelve officers will be deployed to police stations throughout the island as specialists.
