Family Liaison In Homicide And Serious Crime Investigations

Question 1

What is the primary function of a FLO?

Answer 1

Role: day-to-day management of the partnership between the family of the deceased and the Police Investigator.

An investigator, not a support person.

FLO must also offer, facilitate and co-ordinate support that addresses the needs of the family.

Question 2

What should a FLO plan consider?

Answer 2

1) Selection of the FLO and criteria for selection
2) Exit plan for the FLO
3) Objectives of the family liaison
4) Appropriate methods for family interviews
5) Information to be released and withheld from the family
6) Requests made by the family which have not been agreed to, and the reasons for this
7) Complaints made by family and OC Investigations action to progress and resolve the issues raised
8) Family member considered suspect
9) Liason victim support and other support services

Question 3

What is an exit plan?

Answer 3

• Must be developed before an FLO is deployed
• Must be communicated to the family at the commencement of the appointment
• Determined by OC investigation
• Include plans for reactivation

Before being stood down, the FLO should ensure that victim support services are on-going, where this has been taken up by the family

Question 4

Explain the term family:

Answer 4

• Partners, parents, siblings, children, guardians, whanau and any others who have a direct and close relationship with the victim
• Includes chosen family
• Should reflect victims culture and lifestyle

Question 5

Deployment of a FLO

Answer 5

• Family spokesperson
• Risk assessment
• Suspect within the family
• FLO for suspects family
• Cultural liaison
• Maori culture
• Victim support

Question 6

When there is a suspect within the Family, the OC Investigation must review the plan regularly to ensure:

Answer 6

• The FLOs safety and welfare
• Whether FLO will reside with family (e.g. abductions)
• Importance of fully documenting contact with the family
• Not using the FLO in the search or arrest of a family member

Question 7

Meeting the family should occur as soon as possible. Before meeting the family, the FLO must:

Answer 7

1) Liase with OC Investigation regarding parameters of information to be shared/withheld back from the family.
2) Familiarise themselves with the enquiry
3) Familiarise themselves with the family (lifestyle, religion, culture)
4) Establish what contact the family has had with the Police since the incident/death
5) Establish what info has been given to the family
6) Establish what info is already in the public domain

Question 8

The FLO was/will be responsible for?

Answer 8

• Profiling the victim

- Preparing a family tree and gathering all relevant information from the family

Question 9

What consideration needs to be given around witnesses in the family?

Answer 9

• Whether witnesses require special consideration
• The availability of the witness
• Any particular needs the witness has for assistance
• Optimum approach to be taken when approaching witness for interview

Question 10

What must the FLO consider around record keeping?

Answer 10

• Must commence a dedicated notebook to record all contact with family/NOK
• Notebook reviewed at regular intervals by the OC Investigation

Question 11

Communicating with the family. What must the victims family be provided with?

Answer 11

Timely information as far as the integrity of the investigation allows.

Question 12

Early issues for resolution - during the early stages the FLO must:

Answer 12

1) Provide the family with information regarding the death/PM/Coronial processes
2) Provide family with Coronial booklet
3) Establish any immediate evidence from family members
4) Inform OC Investigation if family members have any concerns for their safety/receive any threats
5) Protect the family from unwanted media intrusion
6) Give or facilitate initial practical support (e.g. transpot)

Question 13

Disclosure of info to the family - the family should be notified of?

Answer 13

1) Programmes, remedies or services available through Police to the family as victims in their own right
2) Progress of the investigation
3) The family’s role as witnesses in the prosecution of the offence

Question 14

What must the FLO do when an offender is arrested?

Answer 14

1) Inform family of the Victim Notification Register + provide with POL1065
2) Views the family have on bail of accused
3) Inform the victims family of:
- charges laid/reasons not laid
- court appearance details (date/time)
- release on bail of the accused
- any application made by the accused for name suppression
- details of bail conditions

Question 15

When examining the lifestyle of the victim, sources of information frequently fall into one or two categories

Answer 15

People and passive data

PEOPLE

• friends
• colleagues
• hobbies/habits
• partners
• associates

PASSIVE DATA

• NIA
• medical history
• HSMU
• mobile telephone records
• vehicle details

Question 16

Return of property considerations;

Answer 16

• what property does the family wish to be returned?
• how do they want the property returned?
• are there likely to be any delays in the return of the property?
• property should be inspected to ensure all the court exhibit tags have been removed

Question 17

The family should be prepared for possible media interest and the FLO should take steps to:

Answer 17

1) Prepare victims family for the anticipated level of media interest
2) Establish family views on media appeals
3) Request the family nominates a spokesperson at an early stage
4) Consult with the family before the release of personal details relating to the victim
5) Inform family of significant developments before releasing such info to the media