ROADS POLICING


WE PROVIDE VICTIMS AND FAMILIES WITH AN ANSWER


POLICE magazine’s STEVE BAX spoke to Federation Rep Andy Smith about the challenges facing collision investigators – from mental health to studying for degrees


P


C Andy Smith has been a presence on Northumbria’s roads for 22 years. He was a traffic cop for


a dozen of them, until he decided to specialise in collision investigation. As technology advances, the role of the collision investigator inevitably becomes more complex. Andy notes that there is more CCTV footage now that needs analysing – plus mobile phone data, dashcam footage, sat-nav devices and entertainment devices. While specialists process that data on behalf of officers, it inevitably means investigations have more steps to consider and take longer. No matter how the role evolves, it


continues to be indispensable. Andy explains: “We provide victims


PC Andy Smith 14 | POLICE | APRIL 2021


and families with an answer as to what’s happened. Quite often that will be the


explanation of how their loved ones died. We also provide evidence to the judicial process who may decide to hold people to account if necessary. So, the work is on behalf of the judicial system and the coroner as well. There are a lot of jobs you could see being replaced with robots in future, but you couldn’t replace a collision investigator – that experience that you build up from years of going to these things.” Of the 200 or so collision


investigators working in England and Wales, the split is roughly half and half experienced police officers and trained civilians. Given the time it takes to build up the required experience, forces will often entice back retired officers in a civilian capacity. However, there are also recruits from a variety


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