Seattle Police Manual

13.090 – Collision Review Board

Effective Date: 9/1/2006

I. Purpose

A. To review all collisions involving Department vehicles and determine if the collision was preventable or non-preventable.

II. Membership

A. The Captain of the Metropolitan Section shall Chair the Collision Review Board. In the absence of the Captain of the Metropolitan Section, the Special Enforcement Lieutenant shall assume the position.

B. The Chair of the Collision Review Board shall coordinate the appointment of the remaining Board members and advisors, as outlined below, with the appropriate Bureau Chiefs, according to need. Voting members of the board, with the exception of the Chair, shall be rotated annually (4 in March and 4 in September).

1. Voting Members:

a. The Chair;

b. Three Sergeants;

(1) One from Patrol (West Precinct);

(2) One from the Metropolitan Section; and

(3) One from the Investigations Bureau.

c. Three Police Officers;

(1) Two from the Operations Bureaus (one each from the North and South Precincts).

(2) One from the Metropolitan Section.

d. One Parking Enforcement Officer (civilian member).

2. Non-Voting Advisors:

a. Safety Coordinator (serves as the Board Secretary);

b. Three standing advisors;

(1) One each from:

(a) Traffic Collision Investigation Squad;

(b) Fiscal, Property, and Fleet Management Section; and

(c) Education & Training Section.

c. Other advisors, as required.

C. A minimum of four voting members compose a quorum. The Chair and these four members are required to be present before committee business may be conducted.

III. Findings

A. Preventable Collisions

1. The board shall include with their findings the number of previous preventable collisions involving the employee.

2. The Safety Coordinator shall:

a. Notify the individual involved of the results,

(1) The notification form shall be dated and shall contain written notification of the officer’s right to appeal the classification within 15 days of the board’s findings.

b. Notify the individual’s Section / Precinct Captain or civilian manager and the individual’s Bureau Chief; and

c. Notify the Department of Licensing only in cases of injury or where damage to either vehicle exceeds $500.00, for exclusion or non-exclusion of the collision from the individual’s driving record.

3. Discipline

a. The Collision Review Board shall not make recommendations concerning retraining or discipline.

b. The individual’s Bureau Chief shall have the responsibility for recommending retraining or discipline.

B. Non-Preventable Collisions

1. The Safety Coordinator shall:

a. Notify the individual;

b. Notify the individual’s Section / Precinct Captain or civilian manager; ensure the forms for exclusion of the collision from the individual’s driving record are accurate and complete; and

c. Forward the forms to DOL only in cases where injury occurs or damage to either vehicle exceeds $500.

IV. Appeals

A. Any employee wishing to appeal the classification of their case must file a written request with the Department Safety Coordinator within 15 days of the Board’s findings.

1. The Safety Coordinator shall then arrange for the case to be completely reviewed at the next Board meeting.

2. The driver involved may attend this review if they so desire, or they may submit a complete statement as to the facts of the collision. If the driver desires to attend the review, and in view of the fact that the identity of the driver is withheld during review, the driver shall waive their right to anonymity and shall have no appeal of prejudice against any member of the Board.

3. Reclassification may result from the appeal review. If so, the Department Safety Coordinator shall notify the concerned driver in writing and the reclassification shall be noted in the minutes of that meeting.