CHARLOTTE, N.C. — When traffic backs up after a fender-bender, the first responder may not be a sworn police officer.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Civilian Crash Investigation (CCI) Unit is changing how the city handles thousands of non-injury crashes each year, freeing up officers to respond to violent crimes and urgent emergency calls.
Launched in 2024 after a change in state law allowed civilians to investigate minor crashes, the unit is made up of trained civilian employees who respond to collisions with no injuries and no criminal elements…