INDIANAPOLIS — Even top-notch investigators need to take refresher courses to stay on top of their craft, particularly as technological advances make their jobs more challenging.
Members of the Hancock County Fatal Accident Crash Team are taking part in a weeklong forensic crash investigation course at Seiler Forensics Solutions in Indianapolis. The class wraps up today. In addition to the training, the team will have a new state-of-the-art surveying tool that will help make accident reconstruction more accurate than ever.
The FAC Team investigates the cause of fatal vehicle accidents in the county. Investigators use surveying equipment to take measurements at the scene of an accident to figure out the position, speed and trajectory of vehicles in the moments before impact.
The new equipment on which officers received training this week, called a “total station,” is a precision optical instrument capable of measuring horizontal angles, vertical angles and distance. They are often used in civil engineering, but they are also useful to create three-dimensional maps of crash scenes, making investigations more comprehensive and accurate. Software allows investigators to create a scale diagram that looks lifelike and can even animate vehicle movement.
The FAC Team acquired a Trimble SX10 Total Scanning Station and a Trimble TSC07 controller purchased through Seiler. The equipment, software, and training for six people added up to around $75,000.
Those attending the training include Officer Shawn Brady of the New Palestine Police Department; Officer Ryan Chappell of the Greenfield Police Department; and Cpl. Mark Galbraith, Capt. Robert Harris and Sgt. Nick Ernstes of the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department. Jon Lawrence, a reserve deputy with the sheriff’s department, is also attending the training.
When Harris first started on the FAC team, more than a decade ago, crash reconstruction happened in a very different way than how it is done today. Technology mostly consisted of using tape measures to diagram crash scenes.
“Later we moved to measuring with handheld laser measuring devices,” he said.
More recently, they have been using surveyor’s tools.
While the older total station units required at least two people to run and had limited capabilities, the newer unit can be operated by one person.
“It’s much faster, more accurate and can be used in a variety of crash and crime scenes,” Harris said. “It measures distance, elevation and takes pictures.”
The scanner on the total station has the capability to measure millions of data points at a scene, resulting in a much more accurate scale diagram, which in turn helps investigators more precisely determine what caused a crash.
“As technology evolves, we must keep up so we can provide the highest quality investigations to serve all parties involved,” Harris said.
