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Traffic Crash Reconstruction Training
Reconstruction specialists for the Michigan State Police (MSP) are all certified police officers and have in excess of 1000 hours in traffic crash investigation and reconstruction training. Each officer has completed an 80-hour At-Scene Traffic Crash Investigation course, an 80-hour Advanced or Technical Traffic Crash Investigation course, and an 80 to 115-hour Traffic Crash Reconstruction course provided by MSP or the Institute of Police Technology and Management, University of North Florida (IPTM) in addition to the 30-hour Basic Traffic Crash Investigation course received by all State Police recruits. Upon completion of the reconstruction course, troopers are put on a two year training track where they receive additional specialized training in motorcycle traffic crash investigation, commercial vehicle traffic crash investigation, forensic mapping and applied physics to name a few. At the completion of the two year training period, the officer is required to obtain full accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction (ACTAR).
In addition, all reconstruction specialists receive a minimum of two 32-hour training schools per year provided by national training institutions such as IPTM. Additional training topics include programs on advanced commercial vehicle reconstruction, use of computers in the reconstruction of traffic crashes, occupant kinematics, and vehicle dynamics.