Disaster Victim Identification

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Disaster Victim Identification

• Steve Tolmie
• Detective Chief Inspector
• Thames Valley Police

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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

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The Requirement to Identify the Deceased

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

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Lord Justice Clarkes 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

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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

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DVI Process

• The Bringing together of
• Ante Mortem and Post Mortem data
• To make a positive Identification

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DVI Process

• Ante Mortem Data is collected
• By Police Officers in the countries that people
  are reported missing from.
• This is recorded on Interpol Yellow forms

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DVI Process

• Post Mortem Data is collected
• By Pathology and DVI teams working at the
  mortuaries where the dead are taken. This is
  recorded on Interpol Pink forms

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DVI Process

• Both Yellow Ante Mortem Data
• Pink Post Mortem Data
• Are sent to the IMC for comparison

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DVI Process

• The Challenge is to match all the
• Yellow AMs to the Pink PMs

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SIM
SIO
HM Coroner
Identification Commission
Casualty Bureau
Victim Recovery
DVI Team
Family Liaison
Mortuary
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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

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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

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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)

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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/coroners officer

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Primary role of a FLO?
Counsellor
Investigator
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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

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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
• FCO/DCMS
• PNICC-Police National Intelligence Co-ordination
  Centre

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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

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Temporary Mortuary

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

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Primary Identification Criteria

• 4 methods
• Any ideas?

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Primary Identification Criteria

• 4 methods
• Fingerprints
• DNA
• Odontology
• Unique Medical Condition

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Fingerprints
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DNA
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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

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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 deceaseds DNA profile using his/her
  relatives

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DNA Problems

• What if you dont have both parents?
• What if the person is adopted
• What if the person who thinks he is the father is
  not?

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Odontology
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Unique Medical Condition
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Unique Medical Condition
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Unique Medical Condition
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Primary Identification Criteria

• 4 methods
• Fingerprints
• DNA
• Odontology
• Unique Medical Condition

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Secondary Methods Assistance

• Secondary
• Blood grouping
• Scars, marks, Tattoos, Amputations
• Deformities
• Personal effects
• Jewellery
• Distinctive clothing
• Medical records
• X-ray examinations

• Assistance Only
• Visual
• Photographs
• Body location
• Description
• Clothing

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Post Mortem Examination Pathology Dental Fingerpri
nts DNA Identifying marks Clothing /
jewellery Photographs
Incident Occurrence
Victim Recovery
DVRI Documentation/ Ante-mortem harvest
Casualty Bureau FLO Deployment
Samples Analysed
Examination and Documentation
Identification Commission
Identification certified by Coroner
Reconciliation/Repatriation
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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

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The Golden Principles

• Dont make promises that cant be kept
• Dont underestimate peoples desire for detail
• Treat people as you would wish to be treated

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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

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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

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Thank You

• Any Questions?

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We cant necessarily make things better but we
could make it much worse!
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