Traffic Enforcement & Crash Investigations

The traffic enforcement objective of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Police Department is to reduce traffic crashes and injuries and to facilitate the safe and expeditious flow of vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic through voluntary compliance with traffic regulations.  This policy will provide guidelines for conducting traffic stops and investigating traffic related accidents.

Policy: Traffic Enforcement & Crash Investigations

Author: Chief Joseph M. Hallman

WILEAG Standard: 6.2.5

Issue Date: July 2, 2016

Reviewed Date: April 8, 2026

Revised Date: April 8, 2026

 

Purpose:

The traffic enforcement objective of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Police Department is to reduce traffic crashes and injuries and to facilitate the safe and expeditious flow of vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic through voluntary compliance with traffic regulations.  This policy will provide guidelines for conducting traffic stops and investigating traffic related accidents.

Policy:

It is the policy of the UW-Platteville Police Department that motor vehicle stops shall be performed professionally and courteously. Officers of this department will maintain a view towards educating the public about proper driving procedures while recognizing and taking steps to minimize the dangers involved in this activity for the officer, the motorist, and other users of the highway.  University Police Officers should take appropriate enforcement action to address unsafe driving, bicyclist or pedestrian behavior, focusing on areas with a high incidence of traffic crashes as well as being responsive to citizen complaints.

 

Definitions:

N/A

Procedures:

1. Legal Basis for Contact with Motor Vehicles (6.2.5)
   1. Officers have legal justification to have contact with a motor vehicle based on:
      1. The officer has probable cause for a traffic or equipment violation.
      2. The officer has probable cause to arrest a driver or passenger for a crime.
      3. The officer has reasonable suspicion that a driver or passenger has committed, is committing, or is about to commit a crime.
      4. The officer is assisting a motorist who is in apparent need of help
   2. Officers are prohibited from stopping vehicles under the guide of legal authority when in fact the stop is based solely on the officer's prejudice concerning a person's race, ethnicity, sex, or similar distinction.
   3. A motor vehicle may be stopped only for a period of time that is reasonable to issue a citation or conduct any other legitimate police business.

 

2. Initiating Contact with Motor Vehicles
   1. The following procedures are to be followed whenever possible. It is recognized that varying conditions such as roadway construction, volume of traffic, and the urgency of making vehicle stops may require officers to adjust these procedures to particular conditions.
      1. Officers shall select an area that provides reasonable safety, avoiding curves, hills, intersections, construction zones, heavily trafficked and poorly lit areas and roads without shoulders.
      2. Whenever possible, the officer shall also avoid the use of private drives, business locations and areas where a large volume of spectators are likely to gather.
      3. When a location has been selected for the stop, the officer shall notify the City of Platteville Police Dispatch Center of the following information prior to the officer exiting the squad car:
         1.  Unit location,
         2. Registration plate of the violator’s vehicle or a description of the vehicle (make, model, color) if the registration plate is not visible or is missing
         3. Number of occupants
         4. At the officer's discretion or communication center’s request, additional information may be exchanged.
      4. At the desired location, the officer should signal the operator to stop at the far-right side of the roadway or at the shoulder by taking full advantage of the warning devices available to officers in the squad car, including emergency lights, headlight and taillight flashers, etc. to warn other drivers of the stop. Officers should be aware that other drivers will tend to look at the lights and drive toward what they are looking at. Officers should not get so focused on the subject vehicle that you are not aware of other traffic.
         1. On multi-lane roads, officers may facilitate movement to the right shoulder by gradually changing lanes behind the violator until the right side of the roadway is reached.
         2. If the violator stops abruptly in the wrong lane or location, officers should instruct the driver to move by using the appropriate hand signals or by activating the vehicle's public address system.
         3. As officer(s) are preparing to stop behind the subject’s vehicle, they should unbuckle their safety harness to increase mobility and provide access to their weapon if needed.
3. Positioning of Squad Car (Appendix A)
   1. Officers should position their squad car between 15’-20’ behind the subject vehicle using one of the following positions:
      1. Off-set
      2. Angle Left
      3. In-line (should only be used when conditions make using the offset or Angle-left positions impossible)
   2. Officers will choose either the offset or angle position based on the officer’s evaluation of the contact. Officers should also turn the front wheels of the squad car to the left.
   3. Prior to exiting the squad car officers will make a threat assessment considering:
      1. Does the officer have prior experience with the person?
      2. What is the violation/reason for contact?
      3. What were the driver and/or occupants doing before you signal him/her to stop?
      4. How did the driver react to your signal?
      5. What kind of vehicle is involved?
4. Approach Contacts (6.2.5.1)
   1. Officers will use an approach contact when their threat assessment suggests that it would be safe to do so. Officers may choose to approach the subject vehicle on either the driver’s side or the passenger’s side depending on:
      1. Time of the day
      2. Location of stop
      3. Position of the squad car
      4. Amount of traffic
   2. During the approach officers should:
      1. Avoid being silhouetted by the squad’s headlights at night
      2. Minimize your use of the flashlight at night
      3. Minimize noise
      4. Check the trunk
      5. Look inside the vehicle
      6. Continue to assess threats
   3. Officers should position themselves properly and safely at the subject’s vehicle to speak with the driver and/or occupants.
   4. Officers will safely return to their squad car to verify all information received during the contact using the squad car MDC or the City of Platteville Dispatch Center, before making their decision on the type of enforcement action they will employ.
   5. Officers are reminded they are expected to maintain a courteous and orderly manner when dealing with suspected traffic violators, and to recognize the emotional duress a violator may be under when approached by an officer.
   6. When initiating a motorcycle stop, if at all possible, try to get descriptive characteristics of the driver or passenger before initiating the traffic stop. Once the motorcycle has stopped, instruct the driver to turn off ignition. This will make it easier to hear and prevent driver from leaving.
5. Non – Approach Contacts (6.2.5.2)
   1. Officers will use a non-approach contact when their threat assessment suggests that it would be unsafe to approach the vehicle but the perceived threat does not suggest conducting a high-risk vehicle contact.
      1. Officers may position the squad car differently based on the threat assessment.
      2. Officers may use the squad car PA system to give directions to the driver and/or occupants; or officers may exit the squad car and use voice commands and/or hand signals.
      3. Officers should consider asking for a back-up officer
   2. When the officer is ready to do so, direct the driver and/or occupants to the chosen interview location. This location should be somewhere out of traffic where the officer can maintain a clear view of both subject and vehicle.
   3. Officers will speak with the driver and/or occupants. After the initial contact and depending on the threat assessment, officers may have the subject remain at the interview location or have the subject safely return to the subject vehicle.
   4. Officers will safely return to their squad car to verify all information received during the contact using the squad car MDC or the City of Platteville Police Department Dispatch Center, before making their decision on the type of enforcement action they will employ.
      1. An officer can always change to a different type of contact as the situation changes.
6. Initial Contact with Driver and/or Occupants
   1. When officers first make contact with the driver and/or occupants, the officer will follow the Basic Contact Model. The basic contact consists of three phases:
      1. Opening - consists of identifying yourself and your agency and explaining the reason for the stop. Officers will keep their tone of voice professional, courteous, and respectful and attempt to make the encounter as positive as possible. Remember that most people do not intend you any harm, in fact they may be frightened by you. Be authoritative but never rude or overbearing.
      2. Information Gathering - Officers will ask questions to understand the context of the behavior that prompted your stop; to identify the individuals involved, and to fill in any other information you need to get. Officers should give the driver the opportunity to explain his/her actions.
         1. Officers should avoid asking if the driver had a “legal justification” for the action. It’s too restrictive. Officers should just ask the driver if he/she has a reason or explanation for the violation. If it turns out that there is a reason, you will get that information right away. Even if the behavior is not justified, the driver will feel that the officer has not prejudged the situation.
         2. Officers should not get drawn into an argument. If the driver tries to argue, officers should deflect the argument with neutral phrases such as, “I understand that,” or “I can appreciate that,” then go right on to the next step.
         3. Officers should ask the driver for a driver’s license (or other identification if he or she does not have a license) and proof of insurance. Here are some guidelines to follow:
            1. Officers should ask the driver to take the license out of any wallet before giving it to you (and remove any proof of insurance from their wallet if necessary).
            2. Officers should never take a wallet or purse from a driver.
            3. Officers should ask the driver to hand the license and proof of insurance out through the window. Officers should never reach inside the window to avoid being caught and dragged.
            4. Officers should take the license with hand held palm down; it is a stronger position than palm up.
            5. Officers should hold the license so they can still see the driver and other occupants.
            6. Officers should always check the picture on the license to make sure it matches the person.
            7. Officers should confirm the address on the ID is current by having the driver say where they live
         4. If the driver does not have identification, officer should obtain verbal information documented by body camera.
         5. Ask any follow-up questions that might be pertinent to the stop.
         6. If the vehicle does not have a license plate, officers will check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
            1. If an officer’s threat assessment indicates this procedure would be dangerous, officers should wait for back-up, and then order the driver out of the vehicle before checking the VIN.
      3. Resolution - Officers should tell the driver and/or occupant to remain where they are while the officer verifies the information provided.
7. Re-Initiating Contact
   1. When officers have completed the records check and paperwork, re-approach the subject vehicle and re-contact the driver.
   2. Officers should not become complacent but continue the threat assessment until the contact is completely finished.
   3. Officers should hand the driver’s license and other paperwork (registration, citation, etc.) to the driver with their reaction-side hand.
   4. Officers will explain the information on all traffic citations to the violator relative to the specific charge, court date, and information on how to pay the deposit amount or contest the citation.
   5. Officers should keep the conversation short, professional, and courteous, being careful to avoid common law enforcement jargon. Officers shall not lecture the driver, and avoid getting drawn into an argument. Officers should use tactical communications to deflect any verbal abuse and redirect the driver to the business at hand. Sometimes drivers become very upset at receiving citations and may make offensive or demeaning remarks. Even though these appear to be personally directed at officers, they really are the result of frustration with the situation. Officers should not respond in kind; just let the comments go and finish the contact with as little friction as possible.
   6. Officers should not tell the driver to “have a nice day.” Even if meant sincerely, it can come across as sarcastic.
   7. Officers may want to remind the driver to buckle up, if he or she has released the seat belt while stopped.
   8. Officers should explain that the subject can leave at his or her convenience, when it is safe to re-enter traffic. Officers should tell the driver if they plan to assist the driver back into traffic, either by remaining behind with emergency lights on or by some other means.
   9. Officers hearing radio traffic of a stop by another officer in the area should drive by that location to ensure the officer's safety or render assistance, as necessary.
8. High Risk Contacts (6.2.5.3)
   1.  Officers will use high risk contact tactics when their threat assessment has indicated the stop should be conducted to minimize the danger to themselves, other officers, and the public.
   2. Four considerations are particularly important in making the decision to handle a stop as a high-risk contact:
      1. Nature of the offense
      2. ‘Occupants with warrants for violent offenses
      3. Recent high-speed pursuits of the vehicle
      4. Occupant with violent history
   3. Officers who decide to conduct a high-risk vehicle contact will follow the standard procedures provided by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Law Enforcement Standards Board training guide, which can be found at https://wilenet.widoj.gov/.  Any deviations from established procedures can not only be dangerous, they can be very confusing to other officers involved. Remember, a high-risk contact is a team effort. Only in extreme situations should officers consider conducting a high risk contact alone.
      1. Officers shall use the same criteria procedures established in Section B.a. 1 & 2. of this policy when initiating a high-risk vehicle contact.
      2. Officers will request back-up, a clear radio channel for emergency traffic and then coordinate other responding officers
         1. Not all high-risk stops will have enough available officers to fill all the roles.
         2. A minimum of three is recommended to conduct a high-risk contact properly:
            1. A contact officer,
            2. A cover officer,
            3. An arrest control officer.
         3. In some circumstances you may have to make the stop with only two officers. In that case the cover officer will also act as the arrest control officer.
      3. Officers should wait for the back-up officers to be in position, before initiating contact/making the stop.
         1. Officers should also be prepared to take appropriate action if the subject vehicle does not stop. Refer to policy “Pursuits”.
         2. Prior to turning on the emergency lights, officers should discuss with back up officers how to handle that possibility.
      4. Officers will ensure that back-up officers properly position their vehicles.
      5. Officers will use the squad car PA to order occupants out of the subject vehicle one person at a time using established high-risk vehicle contact procedures. Each occupant will be secured before proceeding to the next one.
      6. Officers will ensure that the subject vehicle is properly cleared.
   4. Special Conditions - Two situations warrant additional attention. These include:
      1. Subjects refusing to obey verbal commands.
      2. Subjects running from the vehicle.
         1. Subjects refusing to obey. If the subjects in the vehicle do not obey commands to show their hands, exit the vehicle, etc., there could be several reasons:
            1. They can’t hear officers’ commands.
            2. They can’t understand officers’ commands.
            3. They are refusing to cooperate.
         2. Subjects running from the vehicle. If when the vehicle stops one or more of the occupant’s jumps out and starts running away, officers have a very unstable and dangerous situation. Follow these guidelines:
            1. If there is any chance that someone is still in the vehicle, officers shall maintain coverage of the vehicle.
            2. Officers should never allow anyone to chase a suspect forward of the subject vehicle; the officer may be ambushed by someone still in the vehicle, and fellow officers cannot return fire without endangering the pursuing officer.
            3. Officers should always broadcast a description and direction of travel so that other responding officers can set up a perimeter and look for the suspects.
            4. If officers lose sight of running suspects, they should guard against an attack from the rear.

If there are sufficient officers on scene some of them may assist by setting up a perimeter and searching for suspects. In general foot pursuits should be avoided as they are dangerous and difficult to coordinate.

9. Enforcement Action/Searches
   1. Enforcement action is the issuance of a verbal warning, written warning, parking ticket, uniform traffic citation, or in some situations custodial arrest.
   2. The type of enforcement action taken shall be at the discretion of the officer unless action is otherwise directed by the police chief or Sergeant.
      1. Violations that are flagrant interfere with the flow of other motor vehicles or pedestrian traffic, or result in a motor vehicle accident would normally result in the issuance of a uniform traffic citation.
      2. Moving traffic violations that are of concern, but unintentional on the part of the violator and do not substantially interfere with other motor vehicle or pedestrian traffic may result in a warning.
      3. Custodial arrest may be necessary based on the provisions of the statutes or it is discovered that the driver is wanted by court or law enforcement agency.
      4. Parking tickets are discussed in policy “Parking Enforcement”.
   3. When conducting vehicle contacts, officers may request consent to search if there exists a reasonable and articulable suspicion of specific evidence or contraband in the vehicle.
      1. If a consent search is conducted during a vehicle contact, the officer shall articulate the reason for the search in an incident report.
      2. This does not preclude any other legal reason to search a vehicle, including probable cause, search incident to arrest, reasonable suspicion that the vehicle contains a weapon (warrant might be needed depending on circumstance), or exigent circumstances.
      3. Written consent is preferred otherwise verbal consent should be video/audio recorded, if possible.
10. Traffic Crash Investigations
    1. Traffic crash investigations are conducted in order to protect the rights of citizens, detect traffic violations, and to determine enforcement, engineering, and educational needs.
       1. Officers will respond to, investigate, and complete the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Accident Report (DT4000), in TrACS, when the crash occurred on public property or private property held open to the public, and:
          1. The crash resulted in a reported injury or fatality of a person
          2. The crash resulted in damage to one person’s property to an apparent extent of $1,000 or more,
          3. The crash resulted in damage to government-owned property, to the apparent extent of $200 or more, or to a government-owned vehicle, to the apparent extent of $1,000 or more.
       2. Officers will respond to, investigate, and may choose to complete the Wisconsin Motor Vehicle Accident Report (DT4000) or complete an incident report in the University Police Department Record Management System (RMS) when:
          1. The crash resulted in less than an apparent $1,000 damage to either owner’s property/vehicle,
          2. and the crash resulted in no reported injuries.
          3. Hit and run accidents involving property damage less than $1000 to either owner’s vehicle
       3. Officers are not required to complete an DT4000 accident report, but will complete an incident report in the University Police Department RMS when:
          1. The crash resulted in property damage only and occurred during a time period when severe weather conditions, or other unusual circumstances has increased the number of crashes beyond the department’s capacity to respond.
          2. All of the vehicles/pedestrians involved in the crash have left the scene of the crash prior to calling police, unless special circumstances prompted their leaving, such as: following a hit and run vehicle, seeking medical treatment or moving to a nearby safe location.
          3. Officers will not complete an DT4000 when the crash involved a collision between bicycles and/or pedestrians, and no motor vehicles.
       4. Officers will submit addendum reports (Officer’s Report Form) when:
          1. Any charges are issued/pending (the DT4000 cannot be used in any criminal case).
          2. All of the information cannot be adequately reported in the narrative section of the DT4000, e.g., hit & run, witness statements.
11. Issuance of Citations at Motor Vehicle Crashes
    1. Officers shall use discretion when issuing citations in any crash where probable cause exists for a violation that is a causal factor in the crash.
12. Review of Traffic Crash Reports
    1. The Police Chief or his/her designee will have primary responsibility to review traffic crash reports for completeness, accuracy and enforcement action, (if applicable).
    2. The Police Chief or his/her designee shall return any reports requiring follow-up to the authoring officer with instructions.
13. Investigation of Motor Vehicle Crashes Involving Serious Injury or Death
    1. Serious injuries are those injuries which appear life threatening. Crashes with injuries of questionable severity will be investigated as if they were serious injury/fatal crashes.
    2. The Investigating Officer will be in charge of the crash scene and will be responsible for coordination of the initial investigation.
       1. The Investigating Officer at the scene will consult with the Chief or his/her designee to determine if additional resources are needed. Particular consideration should be given to the need for a Traffic Specialist when a driver has fled the scene of a serious injury traffic crash.
       2. If it is deemed necessary that a Traffic Specialist is needed, the Chief or his/her designee shall request assistance from outside agencies, including Wisconsin State Patrol.
       3. Additional officers shall be assigned, with specific attention to witnesses’ statements, blood specimens, and other evidence relative to the investigation.
       4. Whenever possible investigating officers should obtain a signature authorizing the release of medical information from injured persons who are conveyed for treatment. The forms are available in all medical facilities and will ensure proper documentation of injuries, which is particularly critical in cases that may result in criminal charges against a driver. The medical release form should be filed with the officer’s original report.
14. Department/Fleet Vehicle Traffic Safety
    1. Traffic crashes involving University Police Department vehicles or University of Wisconsin-Platteville fleet vehicles shall be handled according to the “Vehicles (University Owned)” policy.
       
        

APPENDIX A

VEHICLE POSITIONING

 

In an approach vehicle contact, you should park your car approximately 15-20 feet behind the subject vehicle.  A good rule of thumb is you should be able to see the subject vehicle’s tires touching the pavement. If you have a squad-mounted video camera, you should make sure that your position places the subject vehicle in the camera’s field of view.

Before exiting your squad car, you may choose to turn your wheels to the left.  That way, if another driver rear-ends your squad, it is less likely to roll directly into you.  The wheels also provide a small amount of cover.

Two primary positions are used for approach contacts:

• Offset
• Angle-Left

A third, the In-line position, is used when conditions (such as high volumes of traffic) make the Offset or Angle positions impossible.

OFFSET:  In the offset position, the subject vehicle is stopped on the shoulder or next to the curb, and the squad car is offset to the left so that the left rear corner of the subject vehicle is even with the center of the squad. 

The purpose for offsetting the squad car rather than parking directly behind the subject vehicle is to provide the officer with a safety lane for walking up to and contacting the driver, if the officer chooses the left-hand approach.  The disadvantage of the offset position is that the squad car does protrude into the traffic lane.  That either makes the lane unusable by other traffic, or, if the lane is wide enough, may encourage other traffic to “squeeze by” putting the officer at risk of injury.

 

 

ANGLE LEFT: In the angle-left position, the squad car is angled slightly toward the roadway rather than being parallel to the subject vehicle.  This position also provides a safety lane for a left-hand approach but also provides the officer with some cover when he or she is getting out of the squad.  The angle places a portion of the car (and engine block) between the officer and the subject vehicle.  One disadvantage of this position is that the squad car’s headlights may blind oncoming drivers, particularly at night, and especially if the headlights flash between high and low beams.  At the same time because the squad car is angled, its emergency lights are less visible from the rear and its headlights and take-down lights are less able to illuminate the subject vehicle.

An example might be a high-traffic city street at rush hour, when either of the preferred positions would increase congestion by blocking a lane.  The in-line position provides no safety lane for the officer using a driver side approach.

Regardless of the position you choose, be sure to illuminate the subject vehicle and its interior with your squad lights (headlights, take-down lights, spotlight, etc.).  Use your lights during daylight hours as well as at night.