Evening star., 1942-09-23
Coz. .nissioners Favor
larger Collateral in
Bad Accident Cases
Long Controversy Over
Police Investigation Unit
Ended With Compromise
BY DON S. WARREN.

BY DON S. WARREN.
Winding up the long controversy
over the Accident Investigation Unit
Of the Police Department. the Com
missioners today directed Corpora
ton Counsel Richmond B. Keech
and Police Chief Edward j. Kelly
to consider q substantial collateral
Increase in serious" accident cases
This appeared to be the last re-
naming major issue. involving the
future and prerogatives Of the AIU,
after the city heads formally had
recorded agreement with the sub
stance of the compromise report filed
with them last April by opposing
factions. At that time 1t had been
agreed that every one" was in
agreement on 30 per cent" Of the
problem.
Some Of the changes recommend
ed last April 8, by committee OF
the Trafic Advisory Council, IN
commenting on suggestions ofncials
Of the Police Department already
have put into rpactical effect.
1t appeared that the A1U would
not be abolished as now constl-
tuted" as once recommended by
police ofiicials, nor built up into
relatively larger division OF the
Police Department, as once recon-
mended by the Traffic Advisory
Council, but rather would carry on
with some notifications.
It appeared that the unit ON
ciallv no longer would operate as
an independent" unit, but wouio
not be deprived Of jurisdiction IN
many cases which would have been
left to the patrolman Of the beat or
the first omcer on the scene under
some suggestions ante-dating the
April compromise.
The compromise agreed to by ON
cials Of the Traffic Advisory Council
and the Police Department, generaiiy
agreed to last April by the city
heads and yesterday written INTO
their minutes, provides that tine
Accident Investigation Unit should
he called to the scene OF all accl-
dents-or as many as it possibly can
handle with present or future aug
mented personnel-unless 1t Is den-
nitely known in advance that the
accident does not involve . fatality,
a personal injury, property damage
in excess of $50. or an aggravated
moving violation"
COMPROMISE on Old Order.
r1nder an old order issued by Maj.
Ernest w. Brown, former police
chief, no patrolman on the beat or
other police official was permitted TO
take charge" of traffic case until
the AIU arrived Shortly after he
came into office, Commissioner Jonn
Russell Young maintained this was
wrong-that every policeman on the
force should be fitted to handle a
trafic case, although he granted
that in cases involving death, IN
fury or serious property damage one
Of the specially trained. better
equipped AIU members were needed.
Commissioner Young, however,
has agreed to the compromise plan,
under which AIU men make inves-
LEGATIONS Of all serious" cases to
the extent OF their time and equip
ment.
In practice, 1t is said, the AIU men
have not been investigating minor
cases for months. but 1t was not
until yesterday that the old MAJ.
Brown order was superseded by the
formal decision Of the Commission
ers.
Relief for 1t. Liverman.
1t. William J. Liverman, in charge
Of the AIU, is to be given relief from
24-hour duty as to reports on acci-
dent deaths. Under change made
charge o fthe trafnc division, Capt.
assigned to the unit instead OF "an
additional lieutenant"
AS recommended earlier, the A1U
no longer Is under the supervision
Of a police inspector, but Is under
the direction Of the police captain IN
charge Of the rafiic division, Capt.
w. j. Cunningham.
The other major recommenda-
tion, on which agreement was
reached, was that all police be more
specifically instructed in the law
Of arrest in trafic accidents, and
ordered to summon parties In q
traffic case to q preliminary hear
ing unless " the accident was wit
messed by the ofhcer, one or more
parties was from a foreign juris-
diction, there was fatality or seri-
Gus injury, or one of the parties was
intoxicated. In case Of any Of such
exceptions arrests should be made
Immediately, it was agreed.
Awaiting the final, formal answer
from the Commissioners. Corpora
ton Counsel Keech has been with
holding such instructions to police,
but one high police ofhcial said
yesterday his department already
had been giving such instructions.