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Manual of Policy and Procedures / Volume 3 - Policy and Ethics / Chapter 9 - Miscellaneous Administrative Procedures

3-09/070.30 - Duties and Responsibilities of the Captain/Director


3-09/070.25 - Classifications of Damage to Department/Permittee Vehicles
3-09/070.35 - Divisional Duties and Responsibilities

In collisions/incidents involving a Department/permittee vehicle, the distribution of County of Los Angeles Report of Vehicle Accident or Incident form (SH-AD-665) shall be made within 48 hours (two working days).  The proper distribution of the form is as follows:

  • Original and one copy:                
    • Carl Warren & Company

      P.O. Box 116
      Glendale, CA 91209

  • One copy:
    • Originating unit
  • One copy:
    • Traffic Services Detail

    4900 South Eastern Avenue, Suite102
    Commerce, CA 90040
    Emailed to Collision Incident Packages email group
    [If a County vehicle is damaged, one copy of the Supervisor’s Report of Incident or Damage to County Property or Permittee’s Vehicle (SH-R-257) shall be included.]

  • One copy:
    • Communications and Fleet

      Management Bureau
      Fleet Operations Section
      1277 North Eastern Avenue
      Los Angeles, CA 90063

The investigating unit shall compile a vehicle collision file which shall include the following:

  • County of Los Angeles Report of Vehicle Accident or Incident (SH-AD-665);
  • Incident Report, (SH-R-49);
  • Supervisor’s Report of Incident or Damage to County Property or Permittee’s Vehicle (SH-R-257);
  • Supervisor 's comprehensive memorandum (SH-AD-32A); and
  • Police agency's traffic collision report or the CHP-555.

NOTE:    Certain incidents that are the result of a pursuit or traffic stop may be exempt from the Supervisor’s Report of Incident or Damage to County Property or Permittee’s Vehicle, (SH-R-257) (see section 3-09/070.10).

It is the intent of this policy that employee drivers/operators, who are the cause of preventable traffic collisions because of inattention and carelessness rather than reckless or intentional behavior, be subject to corrective action and/or training rather than traditional disciplinary sanctions.  Refer to section 3-09/070.45, Corrective Action, and section 3-01/090.10, Operation of Vehicles.

Captains and directors shall review the complete vehicle collision file and determine the applicable classification and the appropriate action to be taken as described in sections 3-09/070.45, Corrective Action, and 3-01/090.10, Operation of Vehicles.  Should the captain or director determine that violations of the policy occurred that reach the level of intentional or reckless behavior or involve violations other than those relating to the cause of the collision, the driver shall be eligible for disciplinary action, and the captain or director should process the incident as with any other administrative investigation.

Should it be determined that any proposed discipline exceeds the captain's or director’s authority, a recommendation for the appropriate disciplinary action shall be reported on a memorandum and directed to the concerned division chief or division director, setting forth the facts developed in the investigation as well as any other facts relevant to the recommended discipline.

Recommendations for disciplinary action shall not appear on the Supervisor’s Report of Incident or Damage to County Property or Permittee’s Vehicle (SH-R-257).  If the captain or director is recommending disciplinary action independent of the traffic collision, that recommendation shall be sent, along with the complete vehicle file, to the area commander for review.

The captain or director shall be responsible for the following upon termination of the process:

  • Upon determination of the final disposition (preventable, non-preventable, work damage, vandalism, or unknown), a copy of the completed Supervisor’s Report of Incident or Damage to County Property or Permittee’s Vehicle (SH-R-257) shall be forwarded to the Fleet Operations Section of the Communications and Fleet Management Bureau, and the Discovery Unit, Risk Management Bureau, so the appropriate point assignment can be made and the corrective action to be taken can be noted;
  • Captains and directors are responsible for conducting appropriate follow-up to ensure when an employee has reached an action-level calling for corrective action (training, job reassignment, or transfer), the employee is assigned the corrective action, and the employee actually completed the required assignment; and
  • Notification to the member involved in the collision of the findings and the action to be taken.

Certain collisions/incidents shall be reviewed by the commander’s Executive Risk Review Committee (see Volume 5, Chapter 5).