The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-11-06

Boosting c record of which any similar unit might well be proud, the accident prevention and lnves- tigatlon bureau o6 the, Waterbury Police Department today celehrat- cd the first anniversary of its com. mencement of operations.
 Headed by Captain William J. Ouggan and Sergeants Charles Me- Weeney and Joseph McEvoy, with assistance from Chief Statistician James Little, the squad has per- formed services to the city during that year, which have been the topic of nationwide interest.
 The following history of the de- partment hes been prepared by Chief statistician Little:
 Good Background
 In October, loSe, Lieutenant Kreml and two of his able assist ants were brought to Waterbury for the purpose of training Q select- cd group of policemen in accident Investigating work. Forty men were finally selected after Q series of examinations and the school was set up at the Washington school. The course was one of two weeks intensive training. At Its conclusion the men were capable of handling any situation that might arise in the field of accident investigation. Previous to the establishment of this school three men had been sent to the New England Ofhcers Training school ct Harvard. Two of these men, sergeants Joseph McEvoy and Charles McWeeney, were assigned to the newly estab- lished Accident Prevention Bureau and Investigating Squad.
 On the sixth of November, 1936, the squad investigated their first accident and from that date until the present, 0 period of one year, a total of l2aS accidents have been thoroughly investigated by them.
 Today the squad and bureau car- ries Q roster of twenty men. Cap tain William Duggan, heading the motorized section of the depart. ment Is in charge of all work and cars assisted by the capable Ser veants McEvoy and McWeeney who lrN in complete charge of all in- yeotisatlon work. Sixteen men, the militant group handling all the in- yestigation and enforcement Work, Are the working unit. James Little Is in charge of ell records and handles all the statistical work of tho Prevention Bureau.
 'Ihe squad does not only investi- gate accidents but performs regu. lar police work as well. The Bureau and Squad were established with no additional cost to the City oi Waterbury.
 Education
 The most appalling thing about motor vehicle accidents IS not that they happen, but that their hap- pening Is regarded with so much indifference. This indifference N tho explanation why 80 little has boon accomplished in avoiding them. The average motorist Is not worried about on automobile ms. hap, because he does not contem. plate having one.
 Therefore 1t is the work of the Accident Prevention Bureau to bring to the eyes and minds of the local motorists the waste of human lives and the high cost of property damage caused by motor accidents The work being done by the Acci. dent Prevention Bureau in the line of education is as follows: the plac. ing of posters in conspicuous spots about the city, addresses before civic groups and through the me. alum of the radio; the establish- ment of c safety program whicl, was given to the children of the city in the playgrounds, during the va cation months and the special as- sistance to be rendered by adding to the curriculum in safety education