A DeKalb police officer recently attended a “Vehicular Homicide/Driving While Intoxicated Conference” at the Northwestern University Traffic Institute.

The four-day conference attended by Officer Donald Gladden, held June 26 through 30, focused on vehicular homicide and DUI.

“At the conference, the Northwestern University Traffic Institute pulls in experts from related fields to instruct people on various aspects of these areas,” said Detective Bill Feithen of the DeKalb Police Department.

“There are several different classes individuals can choose from at the conference,” said Dinah Willard, of the Illinois Department of Transportation. “They are offered several times so (participants) can attend each one of them.

“Classes deal with fatal accidents, drug recognition, high risk drivers, medical examinations, criminal justice, and other areas,” Willard said.

Feithen said the conference provided Gladden with information on the requirements for a successful prosecution. “He (Gladden) received additional training to investigate cases so a better case can be presented,” he said.

Gladden is the seventh member of the DeKalb Police Department to have attended this conference.

Willard said, “The training informs more about DUI and vehicular homicides so when the officers go back to their offices, they can do a better job. Our end goal, of course, is to reduce traffic fatalities.”

Feithen said there were about 98 DUI cases in DeKalb in 1987.