PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

Until 1996, there was little or no coordinated statewide training between law enforcement officers and prosecuting attorneys. Additionally, officers and prosecuting attorneys were not taught about the issues that faced each other’s discipline. For example, prosecuting attorneys did not understand the technical aspects of an investigation, such as accident reconstruction and toxicology. Conversely, law enforcement officers had little contact with the legal aspects of a case and the impact an investigation would have on those legal issues.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of the Driving While Under the Influence (DWI) Trial Advocacy Training program was to increase the number of successful investigations and prosecutions of DWI/Vehicular homicide.

There are two components to the program, each with it’s own program objective:

• The DWI/Vehicular Homicide Conference objective is to increase the number of successful investigations and prosecutions of DWI/Vehicular Homicide cases.

• The Lethal Weapon Trial School objective is to train a maximum of 30 students (10-15 will be Missouri participants).

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

DWI/Vehicular Homicide Conference – Columbia, Missouri

• Mail registrations to all police/sheriff departments, as well as prosecuting attorneys.

• Provide Police Officer’s Standards of Training (POST) accreditation through the Missouri State Highway Patrol as an incentive for law enforcement officers.

• Ask the Missouri Police Chief’s Association and Sheriff’s Association to publicize the conference to their members; encourage prosecutors to promote the conference within their local jurisdictions and to bring a multidisciplinary team from their counties.

• Invite Department of Revenue (DOR) attorneys.

Lethal Weapon Trial School – Kansas City, Missouri

• Mail direct registrations to all Missouri Prosecutor Offices and the National Association of Prosecutor Coordinators. Include registrations in The Missouri Prosecutor, a monthly newsletter for prosecutors to encourage attendance.

• Mail course materials to students one month prior to the course and encourage students to become familiar with the problem. Inform students that they will examine (direct and cross) both state and defense experts and encourage them to be properly prepared.

RESULTS

DWI/Vehicular Homicide Conference

Approximately 130 participants attended this conference (78 law enforcement officers, 41 prosecutors and staff, 9 DOR attorneys, and 2 others) from over 66 jurisdictions statewide, as well as the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Training concentrated on multidisciplinary efforts within the counties and participants were encouraged to communicate with various disciplines not represented in their counties to enhance investigations and prosecutions.

Lethal Weapon Homicide Course

Students received two full days of training on specific accident reconstruction and toxicology formulas and techniques. They attended one and one-half days of lab classes in which they actually cross-examined accident reconstructionists and toxicologists, and were critiqued by experienced trial attorneys.

Comments indicated that the biggest benefits of teaching such technical information to attorneys were the ability to understand and analyze investigation reports, to better question experts in the field, and to give feedback to investigators regarding the need to conduct certain investigations. Consensus was that this was an excellent course that taught prosecutors and assistants difficult concepts in an understandable way.

   WINTER 2002