Serious Collision Investigation Unit

Investigating complex road collisions takes patience and specialist knowledge -- something the Serious Collision Investigation Unit has in abundance.
In this film we meet the team, based at Boreham, who work to bring to justice those responsible for crashes where there have been fatalities or serious injuries caused by some kind of criminality.
It's the unit's job to find out who is responsible for the crash by pulling together forensic information, expert evidence, CCTV recordings, eye witness reports and accounts from victim and suspect.
In the past road policing officers from across the county were called upon to undertake lengthy investigations into serious collisions but in September 2010 the dedicated Serious Collision Investigation Unit was formed, leaving more road policing officers out on patrol.
Head of the unit Inspector Keith Whiting said: "The unit exists to investigate the most complex road collisions which result in a fatality, very serious injury, or attract public interest, often where there is a complexity which may result in the person or organisation responsible facing prosecution."
Gathering evidence to show a Crown, Magistrates or Coroners Court what part a person played in a collision can take up to a year to investigate. During that time the team works closely with forensic collision investigators to analyse evidence like tyre marks, vehicle damage and clothing fibres.
Scientific analysis of this kind of evidence can help officers work out, for example, who was driving a car where two people claim it was the other.
Sgt Dave Jones said: "We have the time, the resources and the knowledge to carry out an investigation that can take up to a year to resolve and, if there is someone to blame, bring them to justice."

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• crash
• collision
• car
• lorry
• vehicle
• accident
• fatality
• injury
• investigation
• police
• Essex Police
• serious crash
• evidence
• forensic
• tyre
• tyre marks
• Boreham
• Chelmsford
• court
• crown court
• magistrates court
• coroner
• guilt
• prison
• jail
• justice