Technical Accident Investigation
 

The Fort Morgan Police Department investigated 403 traffic accidents in 2007.  Most of these tended to be minor accidents, with slight to moderate damage.  Unfortunately, with what seems to be more and more drivers on the roads each day, the Department also investigates its share of serious accidents.

The Fort Morgan Police Department does not currently have a designated traffic unit, so the on-duty patrol staff investigates most routine traffic accidents.  However, when serious accidents occur which require more in-depth and thorough investigations, the Department relies on several highly trained members of the patrol staff to accomplish this task.  A minor fender bender usually requires the investigating officer to be on scene for approximately 30 minutes and another 30 minutes to type the report.  Serious accident investigations can require several hours of on-scene investigating and many more hours for the officers to complete the reports, diagrams, and many other specialized tasks.

Lieutenant Jared Crone, Detective Todd Zwetzig and Officer Kevin Miller (pictured above, left to right) are assigned to investigate these serious accidents and are on-call 24 hours a day for these types of investigations.

These officers are trained through the Rocky Mountain Institute of Traffic Safety (R.M.I.T.S.) in advanced technical accident investigations and reconstruction, which is a continuing education program through Colorado State University.  This training helps take the burden off the normal patrol staff and allows a detailed investigation of serious accidents.

The Department also utilizes the Colorado State Patrol as a resource in their accident investigations.  Trooper Burl Giffin, who is stationed out of the Fort Morgan C.S.P. Office, helps the Department on a regular basis with commercial and regular motor vehicle accidents.