GO - 53704 - - Collision - Reporting

SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS GO 537.04 Page 1 of 6 537.04 COLLISION REPORTING 04-13-17 PURPOSE The purpose of this order is to establish st andards for documenting collisions. POLICY It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department that employees document collisions as directed in this order. PROCEDURE A. DEFINITIONS 1. COLLISION (ACCIDENT) - An unintended event that produces damage or injury involving a vehicle in transport. 2. COLLISION INVESTIGATION - Narrative format that contains headings for Facts, Statements, Opinions and Conclusions, and Recommendations, including subheadings as outlined in the C alifornia Highway Patrol (CHP) Collision Investigation Manual. 3. COLLISION REPORT - A shortened narrative format that contains o nly the Notification, Statements, Summary, Area of Impact, and Cause headings. 4. HIGHWAY - A way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel. The term "highway" includes streets, shoulde rs, and sidewalks (360 VC). 5. CHP 555 -03 Traffic Collision Report – CHP form used to document collision that involved no more than two ( 2) uninjured parties. 6. CHP 555 Traffic Collision Report – CHP form used to document collision investigations or document collisions that do not mee t the criteria for a CHP 555 -03. 7. CHP 555 D Truck/Bus/Haz -Mat Collision Supplement Report - CHP form that shall be completed if the collision meets the minimum reporting level as outlined in this GO and if one or more of the vehicl es meets the qualifying criteria outlined in the CHP Collision Investigation Manual. B. GENERAL 1. Collision documentation shall be in compliance with the California Highway Patrol Collision Investigation Manual (CHP HPM 110.5). All policies of the Sacramento Police Department and the City of Sacramento shall supersede the CHP Collision Investigation Manual in any case in which information conflicts. 2. Collision documentation shall be completed on CHP traffic collision report forms, including preprinted or computerized forms that meet CHP requirements. NOTE: Online reports that will not be transmitted to the CHP may be completed using the Department's Records Management System. 3. Each page of the collision rep ort/investigation report shall contain the same h eading information as the face page of the report. This includes a. The date and time . b. Department’s NCIC number (3404) . c. Officer badge number . d. Report number . SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS GO 537.04 Page 2 of 6 C. MINIMUM REPORTING LEVEL 1. A collision occurring on or off the highway shall be documented as a Collision Investigation when any of the following conditions apply: a. Any person is fatally injured as a result of the collision . b. Any person is severely injured as a result of the collision , including, but not limited to , internal injuries; broken, dislocate d or distorted limbs; severe lacerations; or unconsciousness at (or when taken from) the scene. Severe injury does not include minor lacerations that require no immediate medical attention. c. The collision is a result of an identifiable driving violation tha t was not committed in the officer’s presence and documentation is required to support prosecution (citation to be issued per 40600 VC). d. Any party to the collision is in violation of 20001 or 20002 VC (Hit -and-Run), the vehicle’s license plate is obtained, and the driver can be identified. e. A collision resulting from a pursuit. Damage or injury resulting from the application of the Pursuit Immobilization Technique, including damage or injury to other vehicles, people, or property, is not reportable as a collision and shall be thoroughly documented in the pursuit offense report. f. Any party to the collision is arrested for a collision -related violation (e.g. evading, hit -and-run, DUI, etc.) g. The collision involves an emergency vehicle. h. The collision involves a vehicle owned, rented, or leased by the City of Sacramento. This includes privately -owned vehicles used by City employees while conducting City business. 2. A collision occurring on or off the hi ghway shall be documented as a collision r eport when any of the following conditions apply and none of the conditions in C .1. are present. Officers may elect to complete a collision investigation at their discretion. a. Any person suffers other visible injuries or complaint of pain as a result of the collision. (1) Other visible injuries include, but are not limited to, minor lacerations, bruising, black eyes, bloody noses, abrasions, non -visible, and soft tissue injuries. (2) Supervisors and officers should be careful to recognize situations in which complaint of pain and other visible injuries may involve severe nonvisible or internal injury. b. An involved party is in violation of 20001 VC or 20002 VC and the license plate of the hit and run vehicle is obtained, but the identification of the driver is unlikely. c. The officer witn essed the violation that caused the collision and elects to take enforcement action. When a driver is found to be unlicensed or the license is suspended/revoked. Citations shall be issued for these violations, in accordance with GO 523.04 Notice to Appear (Citations).