wow. was the police man hurt?
Here is an article about it
Davenport police to add automatic speed monitors to squad cars
DAVENPORT -- A crash involving two police cars last month has resulted in a new department policy.
Two squads were responding to an "assist officer" call at about 6:30 p.m., Sept. 26, when they collided at Locust and Gaines streets and one subsequently hit a signal pole. Officer Shawn Sullivan was injured in the crash and was continuing his recovery as of today, Chief Frank Donchez said at a news conference this morning.
Due to the accident, the Davenport Police Department is going to purchase equipment that will allow them to automatically receive data from a squad car if it goes over a certain speed, Chief Donchez said.
Although ensuring the safety of the public is the department's mission, police also must be able to answer a call without risk to themselves or the public, he said.
"Getting there safely is the most important thing," Chief Donchez said.
The department is considering 60 or 65 mph as the point where the red flag would go up, but that has not been set in stone, the chief said. A squad's speed is already recorded by equipment in the vehicle, but that data must be checked manually.
Once one of those warnings goes out, the department will interview the officer who was driving the squad at the time, Chief Donchez said. The officer will be required to provide a justification for the speed used, and an unsatisfactory answer could lead to retraining or a reprimand.
Each situation will probably be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, he said.
The new policy was not officially active yet, but the department was planning on implementing it as quickly as possible, Chief Donchez said.
He declined to answer specific questions about the accident at Locust and Gaines because the department is still conducting its own investigation.
An Iowa State Patrol investigation into the accident is complete, but hasn't been released. A patrol spokesman said it is likely to be released later today.
Chief Donchez did say that Officer Sullivan was now being treated at Genesis Medical Center, West Campus. He suffered injuries to his right hip and leg in the crash.
