Family Liaison Role Flashcards
What best describes the importance of the family?
Families should be seen as partners in the investigation
The role of the Family Liaison Officer (FLO)
day-to-day management of the partnership between the family of the deceased and the Police investigation
Primary role is investigator (not support person) howver must also offer, facilitate and co-ordinate support that addresses the needs of the family.
What would the plan for the FLO include?
SEE OA IR CSV
- selection of the FLO and criteria employed for the selection
- exit plan for the FLO
- objectives of the family liaison
-assessing the most appropriate methods of conducting interviews with family members - information to be released to and withheld from, the family
- requests made by the family which have not been agreed to, and the reasons for this
- complaints made by the family and the OC () Investigation’s action to progress and resolve the issues raised
- any member of the family who could be considered a suspect,
-liaison with Victim Support and other support services.
Define Family
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.
Before meeting the family, which should occur as soon as possible, the FLO must?
-parameters of information to be shared with and/or held back from the family
-familiarise themselves with the enquiry and all information established regarding family
-familiarise themselves with available information and intelligence on family and victim
-establish what contact the family has had with Police since the incident and what info has been given
-establish what information is already in the public domain.
The FLO will need to make an assessment to determine the interview requirements of family members and friends of the victim. this will help assess?
4 points
- the witness requires special consideration
- the availability of the witness
- needs the witness has for assistance
- the optimum approach to be taken when approaching and interviewing the witness.
During the early stages the FLO must:
PBETMAC
- provide information concerning the death, explain to the what happens next, Post mortem/coronial process.
- Provide ‘When someone dies booklet”
- establish family any evidence, information or rumors, which they may be aware of
- act quickly if threats exist to the family
- protect the family from media
- temporary accomodation
- meeting the crown
The family should be notified of:
3Ps
- 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.
Where an offender is arrested, the FLO (in consultation with the OC () Investigation) must:
5 points
- 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
- ascertain any views the family have on the accused being released on bail,
- inform the victim’s family of:
- charges laid
- the date and place of each Court appearance
- any application made by the accused
- details of bail conditions the accused is subject to.
Once the family of the victim has been identified, the FLO is usually tasked to gather information about the victim and family members, to compile a victim profile.
When examining the lifestyle of a victim, sources of information frequently fall into one of two categories: people and passive data.
People Data
-friends, colleagues, partners, associates, etc.
Passive Data
NIA, medical history, telco, bank data, etc
In cases involving Mäori victims, an Iwi Liaison Officer should be involved from the earliest stage possible. Why?
understanding and awareness of the Mäori culture, protocol and beliefs.
