Policy
The Accident Review Committee shall make a preliminary review of all accidents. Upon finding an accident preventable, the Accident Review Committee shall forward the case file to the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU). After approval of the recommended finding, the IAU will determine if any MPD policy/procedure was violated, and if so, an IAU investigation will be conducted.
If no policy/procedure violation occurred, the case file will be forwarded to the Training Unit and it will be kept on file for one year from the date of occurrence. If a second accident occurs within a one-year time period, the employee shall be required to attend a remedial driver’s training course at City expense. In the event a third accident occurs within one year of completion of the remedial drivers training course, the accident will be categorized (B-D) and an IAU investigation will be conducted.
The Commander of the involved employee shall be notified of the findings by the Accident Review Committee.
If an accident qualifies as a critical incident, the investigation will be conducted in accordance with the Critical Incident Policy.
Accident Review Committee members are:
- Traffic Unit Commander or a designee.
- A sworn employee trained in Accident Reconstruction.
Definition of findings:
- No complete determination of cause - the Accident Review Committee has insufficient or incomplete facts to make a determination of the cause of the accident or damage.
- Non‑preventable accident - accident in which the driver complied with all MPD rules, regulations and procedures, and/or the Accident Review Committee determines that reasonable precautions were taken to avoid the incident considering the circumstances at the time of occurrence.
- Use of Force - by officer as defined by Minnesota State Statute 609.06.
- Preventable accident - accident in which the driver did not exercise reasonable precaution to prevent the incident. Case findings and recommendations will be forwarded to the Internal Affairs Unit.
Definitions
Refer to the Commonly Used Terms page for general definitions.
- Critical Incident:
An incident involving any of the following situations occurring in the line of duty:
- The use of Deadly Force by or against a Minneapolis Police Officer
- Death or Great Bodily Harm to an officer
- Death or Great Bodily Harm to a person who is in the custody or control of an officer
- Any action by an officer that causes or is intended to cause Death or Great Bodily Harm
- Investigation: A structured process of gathering, examining, and evaluating facts and evidence to determine what occurred, assess compliance with laws and policies, and support appropriate actions or decisions.
- Use of Force:
An intentional contact, directly or indirectly (such as through a weapon or force device), with someone’s body, that causes pain or injury or restricts, controls or directs someone’s movement. Intentionally placing someone in fear of such contact or threatening such contact can also constitute force. This includes, but is not limited to:
- The use of any weapon, substance, vehicle, equipment, tool, device or animal that inflicts pain or produces injury.
- Any physical strike to any part of the body.
- Any physical contact or threat of contact by the member or a weapon that causes or threatens to cause pain or injury.
- Any physical contact or threat of physical contact by the member that results in physical restriction or manipulation of movement.
- Unholstering or displaying a weapon when engaged with a subject or subjects, or pointing a weapon at a person.