Evening star., 1942-04-10
Traffic Council
BacksA. |.U.
Unanimously
Notifications Urged
Include Request for
Another Lieutenant

Another Lieutenant
Unanimous approval of a COM
mittee report urging retention Of
the Metropolitan Police Department
Accident Investigation Unit with a
few notifications in plan Of opera
ton was voted last night by the
District Commissioners TRAFFIC Ad-
visory Council at regular meeting
in Offices of Traffic Director william
A. Van Duzer.
The 10-page analysis. submitted by
Chairman Harry S. Wender as the
unanimous viewpoint of the six-man
Committee on Legislation and En-
forcement, asked assignment of an
additional lieutenant to the A. I. u,
recommended it function under
direct supervision of the captain Of
the Traffic Division instead of the
inspector in charge of traffic and
declared it should investigate as
many accidents as personnel permits,
unless It is definitely known in ad-
vance that the accident does not
involve fatality, personal injury,
property damage in excess Of $50 or
an aggravated moving violation"
The report took issue with curtail-
ment recommendations of the spe-
cial Police Investigation Committee
which studied the matter for the
Commissioners. 1t also cited figures
intended to prove worth OF the units
work.
COmmends 1t. Liverman.
The committee included particular
commendation Of 1t. William J.
Liverman. in charge of the A. I. U.
He investigated "a of the s5 traf-
fic fatality cases during 194l." 1t
stated. With the investigation of
fatal accidents. with his attendance
at morgue inquests, with his inter-
viewing and obtaining statements
from witnesses. his attending court
in all traffic homicide cases and
with his appearances before the
grand jury 1t. Liverman is one of
the busiest men in the entire Po-
lice Department"
In asking provision Of another
lieutenant. the report argued, 1t
Liverman should not be required to
handle day and night work"
The Commissioners were asked to
increase collateral in serious ac-
cident cases. In this connection, the
report pointed out:
For the first six months in 1941
the A. I. U. made 2,026 arrests in
volving accidents, of which 764 cases
were tried by the court, resulting in
$50 go per cent? convictions and
IS diSnissals. 1t is notable that of
all cases involving accidents there
were LBS forfeitures, comprising Sc
per cent"
Persona whose violations con-
tribute or cause serious accidents
should not be permitted to escape
trial by electing to forfeit col
lateral, as can be done at present,
1t continued. This practice has
been severely condemned by Presid-
ing Judge Mcmahon of Police
Court. Your committee agrees with
him IN strongly recommending that
the Commissioners substantially in
crease collateral requirements In
serious accident cases 30 that de-
PENDANTS no longer will prefer to
forfeit collateral rather than stand
trial"
Cites Hit Run Cases.
Continuing to cite the record for
the first half of last year, the COM
mittee went on:
THE A. I. U. cleared los of 129
hit-and-run cases during the first
six months of 1941. OF these, II
were tried by the court, with rs
convictions (974 per cent? and
only 2 dismissals. No papers were
issued in 3 cases, were nolle
pressed and % remained pending. ~
The report also called attention to
figures indicating the unit prosecuted
2,161 cases in which no accident was
involved during the first six months
of 1941, taking $50 cases to trial and
obtaining 1923 convictions, or 81 per
cent, and declared:
Your committee is of the opinion
that the A. I. u. cruiser serves at
least as useful purpose on the
streets from the standpoint of the
public as the precinct scout car.
When A. /. U. men are not investi-
eating accidents they perform nor
NAL police functions, maintaining
peace and good order in the COM
munity, with special emphasis on
enforcing traffic regulations.
The report recommended that all
police officers ''be more specifically
instructed in the law of arrests re-
lating to traffic accidents" and Or
dered to summon all parties involved
to a preliminary hearing before an
assistant corporation counsel where
there is evidence of law violation,
unless the accident is witnessed by
the of1cer, one or more of the
parties is from another Jurisdiction
fatality or serious personal injury
Is involved or one of the parties is
intoxicated. In these cases, arrests
should be made, it was stated.