Part 6 Family Liaison in Serious Crime Flashcards
Summarise the role of a FLO
FLO primary function is that of an investigator and not a support person however a FLO must offer and facilitate support that addresses the need of the family
What should a FLO plan involve
- Selection and criteria employed for the selection
- Exit plan
- Objectives
- Assessing the best methods of conducting interviews with members and including specialist interviewers.
- Information released and withheld to family
- Requests made by family that have not been agreed to by police and the reasons for this
- Complaints by family and the OC investigations actions to resolve this
- Any family members considered a suspect. Liaise with OC investigations if this is the case.
- Liaise with victim support and other support services
Who is the responsible for the welfare of the FLO
OC investigations is responsible for ensuring the welfare of FLO and that it is monitored constantly.
FLOs are under the obligation to inform their line supervisor of any concerns they have.
What is the exit plan for FLOs
- Exit plan must be developed before the FLO is deployed
- Exit plan is determined and executed by OC investigations
- Before being stood down the FLO must ensure ongoing support services for family.
- All contact from family after FLO has been stood down must be reported to OC investigation.
What does the term “family” entail
- 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
in relation to a risk assessment, the OC investigations must continuously review the appointment of the FLO. What else shall they consider.
- The suitability of the officer for retention in the role
- Whether additional FLOs should be appointed
- The needs and wishes of the family.
When there is a suspect in the family the OC investigation must review the plan with FLO regularly and consider the following.
- Thew FLOs welfare and safety
- The information disclosed to the FLO and in turn family
- Importance documenting all interactions with family
- Not using the FLO in any search or arrest of a family member.
List the FLO actions on appointment.
- Liaise closely with OC investigation and establish parameters of information to be shared/held back
- Familiarise themselves with the family/cultural needs/communication/religious
- Establish how much contact family has already had with police since death before interacting
- Establish what info has been given to family already
Who can take a VIS in relation to a serious crime incident and how long is it valid for?
The VIS must be available for sentencing and should be no longer than 28 days old.
Homicide trained victim support volunteers are trained to assist police by taking VIS for surviving family members.
When the offender is arrested the FLO, in consltation with the OC inveistigations, MUST, what?
- Inform family of their rights to register on the victim notification register and provide a POL 1065 (If they wish to do so)
- Obtain views from family about accused being released on bail
- Inform the charges being laid/and why not
- Date and place of court appearance
- release of bail of the accused
- any applications made by the accused ie name suppression, and the result of these applications
- Details of bail conditions subject to contravening any orders.
When examining the lifestyle of a victim, sources of information fall into two categories. People and Passive. list examples for each
People
- Friends
- Colleagues
- Partners
- Associates
Passive
- NIA
- Medical history
- HSMU
- Mobile phone records
What issues may arise when returning the victims property to the family?
- 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.
