What is a "noncriminal" investigation?

The closure of Oregon/Page Mill created a horrible traffic mess this morning just as I was trying to get to Stanford for necessary medical treatment--couldn't get on El Camino because the ramp was closed and Alma was a mess (and no traffic control). Thanks a lot, Palo Alto PD.

A "noncriminal" police investigation? No criminal activity. I think it's civil.

This is horrible! The 2nd worker in 24 hrs to be killed or seriously injured at night in our City.

I am so sorry for them and their families. Worker safety seems to have failed.

Slowed traffic is nothing in comparison to these tragedies.

I understand that "noncriminal activity" means "no criminal activity" but what kind of "civil" issue could warrant such a long closure? Was the road damaged or someone having a medical emergency? Was the road melting in the heat?

Palo Alto seems to have a lot of unsafe workplaces/practices. With the California budget surplus, it is time to ramp up workplace inspections.

Yes three major accidents, two resulting in death. Thankful this one did not take another life.

Substation death a year and half ago or so, downtown high rise yesterday, and now this. Really terrible. In an increasingly Ai Universe, I am worried that there is not enough attention paid to real people doing really dangerous jobs without enough quality onsite controls for our workers who risk everything to put food on the table in an extremely fast pace, highest cost of living area. Prayers for our skilled labor workforce out there. Prayers for this seriously injured person and family !!

Please clarify because I'm missing something. How did the worker's injury and death on University relate to closing blocks of Oregon Expressway>

@ online name--

There were 2 separate accidents, one with the man on top of the highrise downtown, and one with a worker near the Caltrain tracks over Oregon Expressway.

@WilliamR, thank you.

Calling this a noncriminal investigation made it sound something more routine or trivial.

I think a better description would have been a noncriminal emergency. This was not an investigation that was anything trivial or routine, but definitely an emergency situation. People were wondering if this investigation could have been done at another time and not in the middle of the morning commute. No, it was an emergency situation. Yes people were disrupted on their way to work, school, medical appointments, etc. etc. Emergencies do that.

Police are not going to close a major thoroughfare in commute times for anything other than an emergency.

Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery to the injured worker.

I agree with Bystander--why didn't they just say noncriminal emergency, medical emergency, injured person? I would have understood the reason and wouldn't have posted my complaint about traffic yesterday
May it go well for the worker who was injured. . ..

Many of us missed doctor appointments and meetings that easily could have been avoided if an alert was sent out earlier. The email arrived after we were stuck in traffic and we could have planned an alternative route had we known earlier.

I am still confused! Why was Oregon Expressway (west) closed for 4+ hours? The closure was apparently 8 hours AFTER the worker fell through the tracks and was taken to the hospital. Was it related to that incident or was it closed for some other "non criminal investigation"? Why won't the police say what the investigation was about?

"Why won't the police say what the investigation was about?"

^ Because dissemination of police investigations are released on 'a need to know basis' and perhaps it wasn't warranted.

Just guessing.