PRESS RELEASE:
Preventable car crashes cost KCPD more than $362,000 in 2008, internal auditors found, so commanders are recommending all patrol officers and any department member who gets in a preventable crash take driver’s training.
The Department’s Internal Audit Unit today released an audit on preventable car crashes and a follow-up audit on how the department uses overtime money allotted in traffic grants.
The Preventable Vehicular Accident Post-Audit showed KCPD had 149 preventable crashes in 2008 involving 131 police department members, which is an increase of 33 crashes over 2007. The crashes cost the department $362,681, which is $73,000 more than in 2007. Those who have worked at the department for six or fewer years were responsible for 55 percent of crashes. In November 2008, the Police Academy implemented a Driver’s Training Section dedicated to reducing these numbers. As of August 2009, 118 department members and 100 police recruits have gone through the training. After reviewing the audit, police commanders have recommended that all patrol officers take the 32-hour course, as should any other department member who is involved in a preventable car crash.
The Special Operations Division Grant Overtime Post Audit followed up on a January 2007 internal audit that recommended better tracking of hours for federal grant traffic programs that fund specific traffic projects. Those grants are: Hazardous Moving Grant, Multiple Offender Grant, Occupant Protection Grant, Speed Enforcement on I-435 Grant, Speed Enforcement on I-70 Grant, Sobriety Checkpoint Grant and Youth Alcohol Grant. The Post Audit found officers adopted all of the original audit’s recommendations, and they are accurately tracking the hours spent on these projects.
Click here to see the full Preventable Vehicular Audit.
Click here to see the SOD Grant Overtime Post Audit.
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