In the later part of the year, I've seen or received two reports about bicycle crashes and the police reporting/response to them that are similarly troubling. The first was sent to me about a crash on the MVT in which Park Police responded. (Emphasis is mine)

I’ve ridden this trail daily for over 18 years except in the most inclement weather. On August 5 (2017), I was riding on the trail near Vernon View when a teen hopped off the chin-up bar (an exercise station located approximately 10 feet off the trail) and back-up, arms raised in victory showing off to a watching couple that I assume were his parents. He backed up – right into me. Result: he backed into me, throwing me off the cycle. Injuries: broken and separated shoulder, 4 broken ribs, 2 broken vertebrae, and two dislocated fingers. Ambulance came and carted me off. First stop – Mount Vernon Hospital ER; once they diagnosed the extent of injuries, they sent me off to the second stop: Fairfax Hospital Trauma Center. It took me from August 5 till Nov 20 to get the National Park Police incident report. The attending officer wrote no info on the report. His report claims that he was at the scene from 1518 hours till 1605 hours. During this time, he never interviewed me. Well….when I finally got the report and I finally-finally got [the officer] on the phone, I asked him if he had any additional information on: who hit me, and where my bike was (Specialized Crave Comp 29). [The officer] told me that the Park Police does not take bikes, and that I should ask the ambulance service (I was in the ambulance with two attendants in the back….there is no room for a bike!) or the Fairfax County Fire Department (called them, and they said they do not take bikes). How can the Park Police just let a ($1500) bike lay on the ground when the bicyclist is carted off via ambulance?

So, the police report didn't include the names of all the people involved in the crash, and when he was there he didn't take the time to make sure the cyclists bike was taken care of. I recently had a crash that required a hospital trip and the MPD were cool enough to wait with my bike for my wife to pick it up, but I was had the time and faculties to ask them to. What if I had been unconscious? Would they have just left my bike there? Do they normally leave the personal items (a purse for example) of traffic crash victims?

The other incident involves MPD. This is from a listserv