Family Liaison Officer

Question 1

Families should be seen as?

Answer 1

Partners in the investigation: this concept is central to the success of the investigation.

Question 2

The appointment of a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) will?

Answer 2

Smooth this process and provide the vital conduit between the family and the Police investigation throughout the investigation phase, prosecution and beyond

Question 3

New Zealand law recognizes homicide and other serious crimes have significant impact on victims. As a consequence, the family of the deceased and victims of certain other crimes are given special recognition under the law. In particular section 4 of the Victims Rights Act
2002 defines those persons considered as?

Answer 3

Victims.

Question 4

The role of the Family Liaison Officer (FLO) involves the?

Answer 4

Day-to-day management of the partnership between the family of the deceased and the Police investigation.

Question 5

The primary function of an FLO is that of an?

Answer 5

Investigator and not a support person. However, in
performing this role, the FLO must also offer, facilitate and co-ordinate support that addresses the needs of the family.

Question 6

FLOs are under an obligation to inform their line supervisor of any?

Answer 6

Concerns they have in continuing to perform in a specific case or in any future role as FLO

Question 7

An exit plan must be developed before the FLO is deployed, and be?

Answer 7

Communicated to the family at the commencement of the deployment. Before being stood down, the FLO should ensure that victim support services are ongoing,
where this has been taken up by the family.

Question 8

The FLO role may receive contact from family members over an extended period. All contact by members of the family after the FLO has been stood down must be?

Answer 8

Reported to the OC Investigation.

Question 9

The term ‘family’ includes?

Answer 9

• includes partners, parents, siblings, children, guardians, whänau and any others who
have had a direct and close relationship with the victim
• includes ‘chosen’ family
• should reflect the victim’s culture and lifestyle.

Question 10

Once family members have been identified, an appreciation or risk assessment must be conducted before the FLO can be?

Answer 10

Deployed.

Question 11

The OC Investigation must continuously review the appointment of an FLO and consider?

Answer 11

• the suitability of the officer for retention in the role
• whether additional FLOs should be appointed
• the needs and wishes of the family.

Question 12

The FLO is primarily an investigative role but will co-ordinate the family’s access to?

Answer 12

Victim Support and other support agencies. Only Victim Support staff who have undergone training specific to supporting the family members of homicide victims will be selected for this role.

Question 13

The FLO must inform the family of the existence of Victim Support at the earliest appropriate opportunity and then inform the?

Answer 13

OC Investigation of the family’s wishes.

Question 14

The trained volunteer nominated by the Victim Support Co-ordinator should meet and be briefed about the case by the?

Answer 14

OC Investigation and the FLO.

Question 15

Before meeting the family, which should occur as soon as possible, the FLO must?

Answer 15

• liaise closely with the OC Investigation regarding parameters of information to be shared
with and/or held back from the family
• familiarise themselves with the enquiry
• familiarise themselves with all information established concerning the family, including
known family composition or dynamics, cultural and lifestyle considerations, religious
beliefs and communication requirements, e.g. language or disability
• familiarise themselves with available information and intelligence which could impact on
the liaison role, such as previous Police involvement with the victim or family
• establish what contact the family has had with Police since the incident/death
• establish what information has been given to the family
• establish what information concerning the incident is already in the public domain.

Question 16

As an investigator, the FLO will normally be responsible for profiling the?

Answer 16

Victim, preparing a family tree and gathering all relevant information from the family. This may include, in
conjunction with the OC Body, taking statements to identify the victim.

Question 17

The FLO will need to make an assessment to determine the interview requirements of family members and friends of the victim. This will enable the investigation team to identify which individuals require interviewing and to assess in respect of each witness?

Answer 17

• whether due to the personal characteristics of the witness or the circumstances of the offending, the witness requires special consideration, as defined by the ‘Investigative interviewing witness guide’
• the availability of the witness
• any particular needs the witness has for assistance
• the optimum approach to be taken when approaching and interviewing the witness.

Question 18

The FLO should make arrangements for the family to visit the?

Answer 18

Court before any hearing to show them the layout and discuss the procedures. In conjunction with Victim Support, it is good practice for the FLO to have close contact with the family at the time of the trial, including providing transport to and from the Court.

Question 19

Stress during the trial is likely to be high and there is a possibility that the family will experience anxiety. The FLO has a duty to advise the family about?

Answer 19

Court procedures, potential conflict between the prosecution and defence during the case and the potentially distressing nature of specific evidence that may be given, ie. pathological or photographic
evidence.

Question 20

At the beginning of an enquiry the FLO must commence a dedicated?

Answer 20

Notebook to record all contact with family/next of kin, intermediaries and other parties connected to the family.

Question 21

During the early stages the FLO must?

Answer 21

• provide immediate appropriate information to the family concerning the death of the victim and explain to the family what happens next in respect of the body, e.g. the post mortem and Coroner’s processes
• provide the family/NOK with the Coronial booklet “When someone dies” which sets out the rights of the family and explains the Coronial process. There is a 24 hour time frame for objection to a post mortem so the information contained in the booklet is critical to
the Coronial process. The booklets are held by District Victim Support and can be downloaded at Coronial services of New Zealand
• establish from family members any immediate evidence, information or rumors, which they may be aware of, so that this can be passed directly to the OC Investigation for urgent attention
• act quickly and effectively informing the OC Investigation without delay should a family or individual express concern for their personal safety or have been subject to threats or intimidation and require Police protection or assistance
• give or facilitate initial practical support for members of the family (eg. transport)
• as far as possible, protect the family from unwarranted media intrusion
• arrange temporary housing when the family home has been designated as a crime scene or a protracted search of the victim’s home is anticipated. Victim Support should be involved in this process
• use their knowledge of the criminal justice system and Coroners processes to advise family members, as appropriate
• where appropriate and on direction of the OC Investigation, arrange for the Crown Solicitor to meet the family to explain decisions taken.

Question 22

Through Victim Support, the Government provides financial assistance on behalf of the Crown Solicitor for victims of serious crime towards the costs of dealing with the incident and attending court and other criminal justice processes. This includes?

Answer 22

• a discretionary grant of up to $1500 for families of homicide victims
• free counselling for families of murder and manslaughter victims. Initially six hours are approved with the option to increase to 15 hours. Counselling up to a maximum of 30 hours may be approved if required.

Question 23

Disclosure of information to the family?

Answer 23

The OC Investigation will authorise what information will or will not be released to the family.

Question 24

The family should be notified of?

Answer 24

• programmes, remedies, or services available through Police to the family as victims in their own right (refer section 11)
• progress of the investigation (a legal requirement under section 12)
• the family’s role as witnesses in the prosecution of the offence.

Question 25

Where an offender is arrested, the FLO (in consultation with the OC Investigation) must?

Answer 25

• inform the family of their rights to register on the victim notification register, and provide a POL 1065 form if they wish to do so
• make all reasonable efforts to ascertain any views the family have on the accused being released on bail, and ensure these views are communicated to the court in a Grounds for Opposing Bail Police Form 128 or, where Police are not opposing bail, in a covering report
to Prosecutions (Victim Rights Act 2002, sections 29 and 30).
• inform the victim’s family of:
- charges laid or reasons why charges are not laid, and any changes to the charges laid
- the date and place of each Court appearance of the accused or other Court hearing relating to the case
- release on bail of the accused
- any application made by the accused, for suppression of name or other identifying particulars under section 200 of the Criminal Procedure Act 2011. The victim’s family’s views about the application must be ascertained and provided to the Court (refer section 28). The victim’s family must also be informed of the outcome of such an
application.
- details of bail conditions the accused is subject to. Note: This information must not be disclosed if it would contravene an order under section 19 Bail Act 2000 prohibiting the publication of matters related to a bail hearing.

Question 26

Information that identifies or which may lead to the identification of the victim’s home address may only be given in evidence or information provided to a Court with leave of a?

Answer 26

Judicial officer

Question 27

Identification procedures?

Answer 27

The FLO should not participate in any suspect identification procedures.

Question 28

When examining the lifestyle of a victim, sources of information frequently fall into one of two categories: people and passive data. These may include the following people?

Answer 28

friends
• colleagues
• partners
• associates
• online or social media contacts
• hobbies and habits
• travel movements
• people along the routes they were known to take
• customers or suppliers
• religious leaders or associates
• cultural associations
• other people that they come into contact with.

Question 29

Property should be returned to family members by the FLO. When authorised by the OC Investigation, the FLO should liaise with the OC Exhibits regarding the return of property. These issues should be considered?

Answer 29

• What property does the family wish to be returned?
• How do they want the property returned, for example do they wish items to be cleaned?
• Are there likely to be any delays in the return of any property?
• Property should be inspected to ensure all Police and Court exhibit tags have been removed.

Question 30

The FLO must not issue any statements to the media unless specifically requested to do so by the OC Investigation, in consultation with the Media Liaison Officer. The family should be prepared for possible media interest and the FLO should take steps to?

Answer 30

• prepare the victim’s family for the anticipated level of media interest and provide them with a copy of the “Media information letter to family of the deceased”
• establish the family’s views on any media appeals
• request the family to nominate a spokesperson, at an early stage
• consult the family before the release of personal details relating to the victim
• where possible, provide copies of media releases to the family before distribution
• inform the victim’s family of significant developments in the investigation before releasing such information to the media, where it is appropriate to do so
• appraise the OC Investigation of media activity around the family
• request approval from the victim’s family to release a photograph of the victim and where practical, respect their choice of photograph.

Question 31

The level of involvement of the FLO and the specific tasks allocated to the FLO during the investigation stage must be governed by?

Answer 31

The family liaison plan.

Question 32

The trained victim support volunteer nominated shoud meet and be brief about the case by the?

Answer 32

OC investigation and the FLO.