Family Liaison Officers
In all fatal and serious injury road collisions a number of emergency and support services become available. Many of these services are little known to the public but form a vital part of the Roads Policing team.
The role of agencies like the ambulance and fire service at the scene of a crash is widely understood, but there is another very important role behind the scenes, that of the Police Family Liaison Officer (FLO).
FLOs were introduced to the Roads Policing department three years ago to work alongside the investigation teams dealing with fatal, serious injury and life changing collisions.
As each incident occurs, an FLO is appointed to liaise with the families involved giving much needed support and allowing the investigation team to concentrate fully on their role.
Prior to their introduction, the role of keeping the families informed and advised fell to those investigating the incident. Now the role lies with specifically trained officers who are not directly connected with the investigation itself but have regular contact with both the investigation team and the families involved.
The role of the FLO is to:
- Facilitate the investigation of the family’s loss.
(To gather evidence and information and conduct family-based inquiries) - Act as a link between the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) and the
family, and to inform them of developments as appropriate. - To balance support and care for the family with investigative requirements.
- To be the single contact point for the family and investigate all family-based inquiries.
- To deal with media enquiries and advise the family in relation to media requests.
- To develop and maintain a good relationship with the family and to offer emotional support and advice.
(Support and advice is given through appointed agencies such as Brake).
About Brake
Brake is a road safety charity dedicated to reducing deaths and injuries on roads through awareness-raising campaigns. These include a national road safety week and educational resources such as leaflets, posters and advertisements.
They also care for people bereaved and injured on the road. Their headquarters are in the UK, but they welcome members from around the world.
