The northern Allegheny County initiative in which police from 14 departments will be paying special attention toward vehicles and equipment being towed should be imitated in Butler County.

While what was dubbed as a freak accident caused the deaths of a Cranberry Township man and two of his three triplets April 14 in Richland Township, the accident nevertheless was a preventable one. Police believe the large wood chipper that broke free from a truck on Route 8 had not been secured properly to the vehicle pulling it.

The new police initiative, which is scheduled to begin in September, is aimed at ensuring that dangerous situations are corrected before they result in a tragedy like that which claimed Spencer Morrison, 37, and two of his four-year-old children.

The 40 police officers from the 14 departments that will be part of the new safety effort already have received more than two months of training dealing with spotting trailers and vehicles that have not been secured properly.

The initiative is not an overreaction to what occurred on April 14. It makes sense. Police are constantly watching for other unsafe conditions while they are on patrol. Training to enable police to quickly recognize unsafe towing is in line with their routine responsibilities.

According to Northern Regional Police Chief Robert Amann, the initiative, although beginning in the North Hills, could expand beyond that area.

The new initiative has been named the Regional Vehicle Inspection Team and will also target weight violations.

Amann's interest and involvement in the new initiative is understandable; he was one of the investigators in the Morrison accident, giving him a powerful perspective on the issue.

He would do a great service by making himself available to speak on the issue with other police agencies, once the Allegheny is under way. It will be interesting to learn how widespread the problem is found to be by the officers participating in the Regional Vehicle Inspection Team.

Three lives were lost in the Morrison tragedy, forever affecting the victims' survivors and friends. So too was the life of Bradley Demitras forever changed. It was he who failed to properly secure the wood chipper. And it is he who has been charged with homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter.

Those involved in towing operations are ultimately the ones responsible for any mistakes that they make. However, the Regional Vehicle Inspection Team can be a valuable insurance policy that hopefully will be in the right place when needed.

The 14 police departments involved in the northern Allegheny County effort merit praise for their willingness to add this new dimension to their duties.