October 21, 2011 | Centers & Programs

Center for Public Safety Marks 75 Years

Oct. 23 is Northwestern University Center for Public Safety Day

By Wendy Leopold

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proclaimed Sunday, Oct. 23, as Chicago’s “Northwestern University Center for Public Safety (NUCPS) Day” in recognition of the center’s contributions to the field of public safety and its 75th anniversary.

Founded in 1936 as the Traffic Institute by Evanston Police Lieutenant and traffic safety pioneer Franklin Kreml, NUCPS today is recognized internationally in public safety education, crash investigation and reconstruction, transportation engineering, forensics, motorcycle operation and safety and other law enforcement areas.

NUCPS offers courses domestically and abroad, onsite and online, and has taught tens of thousands of students -- many of whom today are in law enforcement leadership positions in their communities.

In addition, the NUCPS Traffic Safety School has trained more than 5 million Chicago and Cook County citizens in safe driving techniques.

NUCPS literally “wrote the book” on crash investigation and crash reconstruction, and its textbooks have set the standard for crash investigators, attorneys, engineers and insurance adjusters around the world.

NUCPS also helped to successfully lobby for the establishment of the Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It continues to be part of national efforts to develop highway design standards that maximize safety, develop strategies to combat impaired driving and identify model traffic service programs.