CMPD launches Civilian Crash Investigation Unit

CHARLOTTE — The next time you get in a minor crash in Charlotte, don’t be surprised if a civilian in a pickup truck, and not a police officer, pulls up to help.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has officially launched its Civilian Crash Investigation Unit. With flashing yellow lights, but no sirens, a certified civilian crash investigator will show up to assist in certain crashes

Officers said the unit had been set up to help them prioritize calls and reduce wait times for minor crashes.

“These are minor accidents with no injuries, such as parking lot crashes or fender benders,” CMPD Deputy Chief Jacquelyn Bryley told Channel 9′s Hunter Sáenz.

The civilian investigators will be using a mix of hybrid and fully electric vehicles.

They will be trained to respond to low-level accidents that only involve property damage.

Investigators like Jermaine Parker, who was a 911 telecommunicator for CMPD before taking the job, will be spread out around the divisions in the city and waiting for the call. There are 15 investigators in total, and they’re each earning about $54,000 per year.

The investigators won’t be armed, but they’ll have a body camera that will record every response. They can’t write tickets, and they won’t determine who is at fault. They’ll speak with those at the scene, and write a crash report for your insurance company.

If things escalate, these civilian investigators will back away.

“They’re trained to call a police officer. So if they’re on scene and tensions are high --and a lot of that will be determined by the 911 call taker-- so if they hear tension in the call they’ll dispatch an officer with the CCI,” said Capt. Brian Hofert.

The city of Wilmington has a similar program in operation, and now CMPD is hoping it will be successful here too.

CMPD said 71% of all vehicle crashes they respond to would be considered minor.

So far this year, badged patrol workers have spent more than 35,000 hours working on minor crash reports. CMPD hopes to eventually have 30 civilian crash investigators in the city.

This new unit will allow them to focus more on urgent calls.

VIDEO: Civilians, not Charlotte police officers, could be responding to your crash

Civilians, not Charlotte police officers, could be responding to your crash

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