Disaster Victim Identification

Steve TolmieDetective Chief Inspector

Thames Valley Police

Objectives

• Disaster Victim Identification Process• Role of Senior Identification Manager• Family Liaison • Victim Recovery• Temporary Mortuary• Role of the Coroner• Methods of Primary Identification• Welfare and Support

The Requirement to Identify the Deceased

• Statutory Requirement• Judicial recommendations• Duty to victims and their families• Crime investigation• Interpol Resolution

Lord Justice Clarke’s Report

General Principles:

•Provision of honest and as far as possible accurate information at all times and at every stage•Respect for the deceased and the bereaved•A sympathetic and caring approach throughout•The avoidance of mistaken identification

The Requirement to Identify the Deceased

►‘ the care with which our dead are treated is a mark of how civilised a society we are. Much goes on for understandable reasons behind closed doors. For this reason there is special responsibility placed on those entrusted with this work and the authorities who supervise it to ensure that the bodies of the dead are treated with the utmost care and respect. That is what bereaved and loved ones are entitled to expect and what society at large demands’►Charles Haddon Cave QC – Counsel for Marchioness

Action Group 2001

DVI Process

The Bringing together ofAnte Mortem and Post

Mortem dataTo make a positive

Identification

DVI Process

Ante Mortem Data is collectedBy Police Officers in the

countries that people are reported missing from.

This is recorded on Interpol Yellow forms

DVI Process

Post Mortem Data is collectedBy Pathology and DVI teams working at the mortuaries

where the dead are taken. This is recorded on Interpol Pink

forms

DVI Process

Both Yellow Ante Mortem Data

&Pink Post Mortem DataAre sent to the IMC for

comparison

DVI Process

The Challenge is to match all the Yellow AM’s to the Pink PM’s

Identification Commission

SIMSIO HM Coroner

DVI Team

Casualty Bureau

Family Liaison Mortuary

Victim Recovery

DVI Process•If yellow ante mortem data is not gathered or submitted to IMC no identification can be made•If post mortem data can not be matched it means that the person has not been reported missing•If ante mortem data can not be matched it means that the body is not there

Casualty Bureau

• High volume of telephone calls• Use of Holmes 2/Casweb software• Relevant questions set by SIM to assist identification

of missing persons• Provide list of missing persons• Collate data to support identification of missing

persons• Liaison with DVI team• Work with family Liaison

Sample Questions• Do they use the bus/public coach regularly? • Do you know if they made a journey today? • Where would they have started their journey from today?• Where do they usually travel to?• What time would they normally have left work/education?• How do they get to the bus coach stop?• Do you know if they travel using a daily ticket/ season ticket /Oyster card• Would they be travelling with anyone else? If so who?• Have you tried to contact them? • If Yes what response did you get? • E.g. phone disconnected, engaged, ring no answer, voice mail, diverted

call, record details of number and provider• Would you have expected this person to have made contact with you by

now?• Have you contacted their place of work?Yes or No (if Yes what time)

Family Liaison• Common Tasks• To gather evidence

• To provide a documented two-way communication channel between family & police

• To mitigate negative effects of criminal justice processes

• To contribute to a co- ordinated response to the needs of victims

• To offer close liaison with relevant coroner/coroner’s officer

Primary role of a FLO?

Counsellor

Investigator

Partner Agencies

• Utilising the skills and resources of partner agencies is key to a co-ordinated response

• Preparation and planning are key to developing protocols and understanding

Locations where an FLO may be deployed

• Survivor Reception Centre• Family and Friends Centre• Hospitals• Central Casualty Bureau• Humanitarian Assistance Centre• Major Incident Room• Airports/Seaports• F&CO/DCMS• PNICC-Police National Intelligence Co-ordination

Centre

Holding Area/Temporary Mortuary• Decision of coroner in consultation with

Pathologist, SIO & SIM• Scale of incident• City Mortuary – business as usual• Security – Press, family• To examine, identify and re-unite all body

parts• Establish identity of person

Temporary Mortuary• Space required• Access• Power supply• Water supply• Drainage• Communications• Welfare of staff• Viewing by family• Stigma

Primary Identification Criteria

4 methods

Any ideas?

Primary Identification Criteria

4 methods

FingerprintsDNAOdontologyUnique Medical Condition

Fingerprints

DNA

DNA Comparison• Three types of DNA Sample

• Reference Sample, Known to be the DNA of the missing person (DNA database, Medical sample)

• Surrogate Sample, Believed to be DNA of person i.e. from hairbrush, toothbrush, clothing etc.

• Familial sample, a close relative who will have similar DNA, Child, Parent, Sibling

DNA Comparison

• Rarely is a Reference Sample available

• Surrogate Sample may not be the victims

• Familial sample is usually only compared with parents, children, siblings. Aim is to construct the deceased’s DNA profile using his/her relatives

DNA Problems

• What if you don’t have both parents?

• What if the person is adopted

• What if the person who thinks he is the father is not?

Odontology

Unique Medical Condition

Unique Medical Condition

Unique Medical Condition

Primary Identification Criteria

4 methods

FingerprintsDNAOdontologyUnique Medical Condition

Secondary Methods & AssistanceSecondary

Blood groupingScars, marks, Tattoos,

AmputationsDeformitiesPersonal effectsJewelleryDistinctive clothingMedical recordsX-ray examinations

Assistance Only

Visual PhotographsBody locationDescriptionClothing

Incident Occurrence

Casualty Bureau

FLO Deployment

Victim Recovery

Post Mortem Examination

PathologyDentalFingerprintsDNAIdentifying marksClothing / jewelleryPhotographs

DVRI Documentation/ Ante-mortem harvest

Examination and Documentation

Samples

Analysed

Identification Commission Identification certified by Coroner

Reconciliation/Repatriation

Welfare and Support

• What do families require?• Information about all aspects of the process –

if they want it• Clear, consistent channel of communication• Choices• Openness, honesty, sensitivity• Practical assistance• Emotional first aid

The Golden Principles

• Don’t make promises that can’t be kept

• Don’t underestimate people’s desire for detail

• Treat people as you would wish to be treated

Faith, Religious and Cultural Considerations

• Likely to be a variety of nationalities, cultural groups and faiths

• Identification is paramount• Must know the identity of a victim before any

other issues can be considered• LRF plans to provide necessary support• Must consider the religious and cultural needs

of the deceased and families

Staff Welfare• Health and Safety• Risk management and avoidance• Mass disasters are demanding• Adequate breaks & refreshments• Proper and adequate briefings and debriefings• Honest information• Quiet space to prepare, unwind or think• Provide support & information inc for families

Thank You

Any Questions?

We can’t necessarily make things better but we could make it much

worse!