Part 6 - Family Liaison in Homicide And Serious Crime Investigations

Question 1

FLO:
What will the appointment of a FLO provide?

Answer 1

The vital conduit between between the family and police investigation throughout the investigation phase, prosecution and beyond

Question 2

Legal responsibility:
What section and act defines persons considered and victims?

Answer 2

Victims rights act 2002 section 4

Question 3

Role of the FLO:
What the the role of the FLO involve?

Answer 3

Day to day management of the partnership between the family of deceased and the police investigator.

Question 4

Family liaison plan:
What is the purpose of the plan and what should the plan consider?

Answer 4

Purpose is the endeavour to achieve a partnership approach with the family.

It should consider:
- selection of FLO and criteria employed for selection
- exit plan for 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 investigations action to process and resolve issues raised
- any member of the family who could be considered and suspect, to enable the OC investigations to determine whether or not this is the case
- liaison with victim support and other services

Question 5

FLO welfare:
Who is responsible for monitoring FLO welfare?

Answer 5

OC investigation

Question 6

Exit plan:
When must the exit plan be developed?

Answer 6

• Before the FLO is deployed and be communicated to the family at the commencement of the deployment

Question 7

Deployment of a FLO:
When implementing the plan what should the FLO identify?

Answer 7

Which family members to liaise with at early stage

‘Family’ includes:
- partners, parents, siblings, children, guardians, whanau, others with direct close relationship with victim
- ‘chosen’ family
- should reflect victims culture and lifestyle

Question 8

Family Spokeperson:
What should the FLO do?

Answer 8

Consider asking family to select a spokesperson intact as the Police point of contact

Question 9

Risk assessment:
What must the OC investigation do and consider?

Answer 9

Continuously review appointment of FLO and consider:
- suitability of the officer for retention in the role
- whether additional FLO should be appointed
- the needs and wishes of the family

Question 10

Suspect within the family:
What must the OC investigation consider with the plan?

Answer 10

• the FLO welfare and safety
• increased monitoring of the FLO work and interactions with family
• level of info disclosure to the FLO and in turn the family
• process by which any intelligence that arises from the FLO contact with the family will be managed
• the need for the FLO to be clear in the interactions with the family
• possibility of deploying a more experienced FLO if appropriate
• the deployment of a deputy FLO for corroboration issues in addition to supporting principle FLO
• not using FLO in any search it arrest of family member
• investigative or evidential impact or deployment

Question 11

FLO for suspects family:

What should the OC investigation do?

Answer 11

Consider deploying a FLO to the family of the suspect

Question 12

Victim support:
What will the FLO do?

Answer 12

Will co ordinate the family access to victim support and other support agencies.

Question 13

Conduct of FLO duties:
What is the primary role of the FLO?

Answer 13

The FLO is primarily an investigative role and any urgent info they discover must be conveyed quickly to the OC investigation, such as whether any family members are vulnerable or significant witness or any family members should be considered a suspect

Question 14

Action on appointment:
What should the FLO and OC discuss and what must happen before meeting the family?

Answer 14

Should discuss the plan working with the family and the FLO must:
- liaise closely with the OC regarding parameters of information to be shared with and or held back from the family
- familiarise themselves with the enquiry
- familiarise themselves with all info established concerning the family
- familiarise themselves with available info and intelligence which could impact on the liaison role. Previous police involvement with fam
- related establish what contact the family has had with police since the incident/ death
- establish what info has been given to fam
Establish what info concerning the incident is already in the public domain

Question 15

Witnesses within the family:
What will the FLO need to do?

Answer 15

Make an assessment to determine the interview requirements of fam members and friends of victim.

• whether due to the personal characteristics of the witness or the circumstances of the offending, the witness requires special consideration
• the availability of the witness
• any particular needs the witness has for assistance
• the optimum approx to be taken when approving and interviewing the witness

Question 16

Early issues for resolution:
What must the FLO do during early stages?

Answer 16

• provide immediate appropriate info to fam concerning death of victim and explain process with body
• provide fam / NOK with coronial booklet. - establish from family members any immediate evidence, info or rumours, which they may be aware of so can be passed directly to OC
• act quickly and effectively informing OC should a family member express concern for their personal safety
• give or facilitate initial practical support for member of the fam
• as far as possible initial practical support foe members of the fam
• arrange temp housing when the family home has been designed as a crime scene or protracted search of the victims house is anticipated
• use their knowledge of the criminal
  Justice system and coroners processes to advise fam members
• where appropriate and in direction of OC arrange crown solicitor to meet the family to explain decisions taken.

Question 17

Financial support:
What financial support can family’s of victims of serious crime receive through victim support?

Answer 17

• a discretionary grant of up to $1500 for family’s of homicide victims
• free counselling for families with murder and manslaughter victims. Initially 6 hours are approved with the option to increase to 15 hours. Maximum of 30hours of required

Question 18

Disclosure of information to the family:
What info with the OC investigation authorise to be released or not released to the family?

Answer 18

The family should be notified of:
- programmes, remedies, services available through Police to the family as victims in their own right
- progress of the investigation
- the family’s role as a witness in the prosecution of the offence

Question 19

Disclosure of information to the family:
What must the FLO ( with consult with OC ) do where an offender is arrested?

Answer 19

• inform the family of their rights to register on the VNR and provide a POL 1065 form if they wish
• make all reasonable efforts to ascertain any view the family have on the accused being released on bail

Inform the victims family of:
- charges laid or reason 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
- any application made by a hearing accused
- details of bail conditions the accused is subject to

Question 20

Identification procedures:
Should the FLO be involved in suspect identification procedures?

Answer 20

No

Question 21

Victim lifestyle enquires:
What are the two categories for sources of info?

Answer 21

PEOPLE
- friends
- colleagues
- partners
- associates
- online or social media contacts
- hobbies and habits

PASSIVE
- NIA
- CID
- medical history
- mental health records
- HSMU
- landline telephone details and associated enquires
- mobile phone records

Question 22

Return of property:
Who should return property and what should be considered?

Answer 22

FLO when authorised by OC - liaise with OC exhibits:

• what property does the family wish to be returned?
• how do they want the property returned, eg do they wish the items to be cleaned?
• are there likely to be delays in return of property?
• property should be inspected to ensure all police and court exhibits tags have been removed

Question 23

Media:
If the FLO is authorised to make a media statement by the OC and in consult with the media liaison officer, how should they prepare the family?

Answer 23

• prepare victims family and provide with “media info letter the family of deceased”
• establish the family’s views in any media appeals
• request the family to nominate a spokes person, at an early army age
• consult the family before release of personal details relating to victim
• where possible, provide copies of media releases to the family before distribution
• inform the victims family of significant developments in the investigation before releasing such info to the media activity around the family
• appraise the OC investigation of media, where it is appropriate.
• appraise OC of media activity around the family
• request approval from victims family the release photo of victim and respect there choice. Police make objective appreciation of most appropriate photograph

Question 24

Post conviction contact:
What should the family be aware of?

Answer 24

Their rights under Vitims rights act, including Victim Notification Scheme

Also informed of opportunities under parole act, whereby the can participate in process to decide whether offender is granted bail