Every year, thousands of people are killed or injured as a result of passenger vehicles colliding with trains at highway-rail grade crossings. While the majority of these crashes are predictable and preventable, sometimes we, as law enforcement, are only able to address the results of these tragic events in the form of crash investigation.

That is why the International Association of Chiefs of Police, in cooperation with the IACP's Railroad Police Section and Operation Lifesaver, Incorporated (OLI) has developed a Highway Rail-Grade Crossing Collision Investigation CD-ROM training program. The CD-ROM has been reproduced and distributed to our membership agencies courtesy of the IACP Foundation, additional copies can be ordered at no cost to your agency through www.gccicourse.com.

I encourage you to explore the built-in capacity to go online, register and receive certificates of completion as you and your officers complete each of the fifteen training segments included in this model curriculum. This training has been successfully conducted throughout the United Sates, in both classroom and outdoor environments, with thousands of law enforcement officers having received certification in the following training areas:

• Effective response to incidents, with emphasis on officer safety at the scene
• Federal regulations pertinent to the investigation
• HAZMAT considerations
• Legal considerations, investigative techniques and a collision checklist
• Elements and unique considerations of a grade crossing collision
• Police/railroad cooperation at the scene
• Crash- related railroad technical data and warning devices found at crossings

The IACP and the IACP Foundation are proud to bring this unique training opportunity to you and your agency and are confident you will find the instruction modules speak to a specialized area of investigation that is often under-addressed but greatly needed.