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Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Traffic Institute

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1936 - 2000

Biography

In 1933 Northwestern University, in conjunction with the City of Evanston Police Department, began offering a two-week Traffic Officers' Training Course, later the Traffic Officers' Training School, to parties interested in the fields of traffic supervision and traffic accident prevention.

This program, along with the Evanston Police Department's traffic accident prevention program, soon attracted the attention and support of law enforcement agencies, the automotive industry, and insurance corporations. In 1936 the Traffic Officers' Training School joined with the Traffic Safety Division of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the new organization was renamed the Traffic Safety Institute and, finally, the Traffic Institute. Initial funding came from the Automotive Safety Foundation and the University and later from the Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Company and the Kemper Foundation for Traffic Safety. In addition to offering training courses, the Traffic Institute quickly developed research programs in traffic and safety, traffic law, motor vehicle administration, and traffic engineering. The Institute also established a program of field service and training and has published a series of textbooks, manuals, pamphlets, and periodicals. In more recent years, the Institute's curriculum has grown to include police management, transportation planning, law and court administration, fleet safety, and related specialized programs.

The Traffic Police Training Program traditionally has been the most extensive, in terms of curriculum and length of study, of the courses offered by the Northwestern University Traffic Institute. The Program has and continues to provide supervisory, management, and specialized training to in-service law enforcement officers. Additionally, annual retraining conferences for Program graduates offer instruction on developments and issues in fields relating to police administration and traffic safety.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Traffic Institute Traffic Law and Administration Publications

 Collection
Identifier: 23/6
Abstract These publications fill two boxes and date between 1958 and 1983. Ten separately titled series of publications are represented: Advanced Accident Investigation, Know the Law, Management, Supervision, Traffic Direction, Traffic Law Enforcement, Traffic Law Offenses, Traffic Patrol, Traffic Patrol and Direction, and Traffic Records. Individual publications issued under these series' titles generally are brief manuals pertaining to specific issues in traffic administration, investigation, and...
Dates: 1958-1983
Found in: Northwestern University Archives / Traffic Institute Traffic Law and Administration Publications