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HomeMy WebLinkAbout55C - Emergency messages for Residents - 2019 Policy & Procedure Page 1 of 4 Lexington Police Department Subject: Emergency Messages for Residents Policy Number: 55C Accreditation Standards: Reference: 55.2.6; 81.2.11 Effective Date: 1/1/11  New  Revised Revision Dates: 1/24/19 By Order of: Mark J. Corr, Chief of Police GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES This policy applies to notifications made to citizens, of a death, serious injury, or illness of a family or household member. One of the most unpleasant duties for a police officer is making a notification that a loved one has been killed or seriously injured. The presence of a police officer arriving in the middle of the night to make a notification is every parent’s worst nightmare. Upon hearing such terrible news, people react in many different ways. Often, people receiving the news are in disbelief and have trouble comprehending what they are being told. Reactions include denial, anger, hysteria, and silence. Police officers may provide comfort and help the recipients obtain the support of other friends, family and clergy. People with medical conditions may also need additional support including medical assistance. Death notifications involving young children or teenagers can be particularly traumatic, not only for the parents, but for the officers as well. Police officers may be haunted for years with the memories of delivering such terrible news. A debriefing with a counselor may be appropriate in some cases and should be sought, if needed through the Town of Lexington Employee Assistance Program or other available resources. It is the policy of the Lexington Police Department that the next-of-kin of deceased, seriously injured, or seriously ill persons shall be promptly notified with consideration and compassion. 55C – Emergency Messages for Residents Policy & Procedure Page 2 of 4 PROCEDURES [55.2.6] A. Preparing for Notification 1. Receiving the Request: These procedures should be followed whenever possible. a. Positive identification of the victim must be confirmed prior to making a notification. b. If the request is made by an outside agency or person unknown to the Department, the legitimacy of the request must be confirmed. A return call to the agency may be necessary. c. The employee taking the request should obtain the name of the agency, as well as the name of the person making the request. d. The following information should be recorded: i. The identity and address or location of the person(s) to be notified; ii. . The identity of the deceased, injured or sick person; iii. Any other information or instructions from the requesting agency; iv. The name address and phone number of the agency from which the information was obtained v. The nature of the notification: • Instruction to call a hospital or police department; • Death; • Injury; or • Sickness. 2. Other Considerations a. Should the media obtain the deceased or injured person’s name prematurely, the ranking officer should request of the media that the information be withheld until proper notification of survivors can be made. b. If members of the family are in poor health or require medical attention, Lexington Fire Department Paramedics should be alerted to stand by in case of an emergency. c. If time permits, a family friend, family member or clergy member may be asked to accompany officers to the notification. B. Making a Notification 1. Generally a. The immediate family must be contacted before the name is released to the media. b. Death or serious injury notifications should never be given over the telephone. Notification should be made in person whenever possible. 55C – Emergency Messages for Residents Policy & Procedure Page 3 of 4 2. Locating the Persons to be notified a. The address of the family should be identified. b. If the family is not immediately available, an attempt should be made to identify where they are located. c. If the family is out of the area, the local police with jurisdiction in the family’s area should be contacted and requested to make the notification. d. If the request was made by another police agency and the family is not presently in this department’s jurisdiction, the requesting agency should be advised of the family’s location, if known, so that arrangements for notification can be made with another department. 3. Making a notification to call or go to a hospital a. A request of the immediate family to call or to go to a hospital should be made as soon as possible. b. If the person is deceased, the officer should advise the persons being notified that their family or household member was in an accident, or is sick or injured, as appropriate, but offer no more information. c. If the person is still alive, the family should be told the extent of injuries as known in terms of critical, serious, serious but not life threatening or minor. d. The family should be advised as to which hospital their family or household member was taken. e. The name of the hospital should be written down and given to the persons being notified, along with the telephone number for the hospital and police station. f. Transportation may be offered with the authorization of the Commanding Officer, if the hospital is close by. 4. Making a death notification a. Notification of a death should be made to the immediate family as soon as possible. b. The actual notification should be made by at least two officers where feasible. c. Notification should never be made on the doorstep. The notifying officers should attempt to gain admission to the home, gather the appropriate persons together, and inform them slowly and clearly of the situation. d. In giving notification, officers should be as straightforward as possible about the condition of the family member and not make statements or use language that is ambiguous or gives false hope. e. The survivors should be told that the person was killed in an accident rather than using euphemistic expressions such as “passed on” or “passed away.” Without prior knowledge of the family’s religious beliefs, officers should avoid faith based comments. 55C – Emergency Messages for Residents Policy & Procedure Page 4 of 4 f. While notifying officers should attempt to maintain composure in order to better provide assistance to members of the surviving family, an officer can show emotion that is a natural expression of anguish and empathy; this is not a sign of weakness. g. Notifying officers should be aware of and prepared for a range of possible reactions from surviving family members. Hysteria, shock, physical violence, anger and rage, silence or stoicism, fainting or screaming are some of the more common reactions. h. Notifying officers should be prepared to give whatever solace and comfort are appropriate, but should avoid trite phrases or clichés that, although intended to provide comfort, may be counterproductive. i. In many cases, the best reaction of the notifying team is simply to stand by quietly until members of the family have regained their composure and are prepared to ask additional questions, making sure people are aware they are available to assist. j. Officers should be prepared to: • Provide information regarding the circumstances surrounding the person’s death, as appropriate. • Give instructions to the family as to where the deceased person was taken. • Provide contact information for other agencies as appropriate. • Assist with a medical emergency (i.e. Fainting, reactions to stress, mental health support, etc.).