Location of Training:     Acton Police Department

                                           472 Main Street

                                           Acton, MA 01720

Dates:                               November 19-20, 2008

Registration/Check-In:         

                                           1:30PM-2:00PM

                                 Monday, October 27, 2008       

Class Hours:                   2:00PM - 10:00PM

Recommended Hotel:   TBA

Directions:                      www.mapquest.com

This is a two-night course dealing with night-time visibility as it relates to the investigation of vehicle and pedestrian crashes.  Obviously, the driving challenges at night-time are greater than during the day because many of the visual cues necessary for safe driving, such as warning signs and pavement markings, are harder to see. As a matter of fact, approximately half of all fatalities due to motor vehicle crashes occur at night, even though the traffic volume is substantially less. According to data in Traffic Safety Facts 2000, published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the fatal crash rate for night-time driving is three to four times that for daytime driving.

A large proportion of night-time crashes are single-vehicle, run-off-the-road crashes, suggesting that a driver's inability to recognize delineation, guidance, or warning information may be a contributing factor. Lack of visibility may contribute to crashes involving pedestrians as well. In addition, adverse weather further complicates night driving by rendering pavement markings nearly invisible when covered with only a small amount of water, ice, or snow.  Many of these same challenges facing drivers face police investigators as well.  The inability to clearly see and document evidence while working sometimes in complete darkness, except for headlights and minimal artificial lighting, poses numerous problems, including officer safety.

This course will cover issues such as:

• Conspicuity
• Civil Twilight
• Environmental Lighting
• Headlamp Mapping
• Ergonomics of Signage
• Perception Reaction Time
• Introduction to Nighttime Photography
• Camera Familiarity
• Nighttime Settings
• Auxiliary Lighting
• Field Exercises
• Hands-On Scenarios
• Collecting Photographic Evidence
• Utilizing Different Lenses at Night
• Scene Measurements
• Planning the Crash Scene Photos
• Courtroom Presentation
• And Much More!

Instruction will include “hands-on” scene shooting, classroom and case study review. 
Students are encouraged to bring their department’s digital camera and a tripod.

"Another great class, Thanks!"  Inspector Dan Houston, Lowell, MA Police Department

"The hands-on outside was most helpful.  It's good to learn in class, but better to actually practice what you learn."  Officer Kevin Cooney, Burlington, MA Police Department

" 5+"  Officer Jeffrey Joniec, Holyoke, MA Police Department