Background to sudden death notification
Thousands of lives are lost on the roads daily. It is the unenviable duty of many police officers, emergency personnel and relatives of the deceased to notify family of the sudden death emanating from vehicle crashes. Telling someone that a loved one has just lost their life is often said to be the hardest part of a police officer’s work. It is certainly the worst possible news that anyone could receive.
Are we prepared to deliver such a message and do we have the skills to do this in a professional and compassionate manner? In the case of accidental death it often is a police officer, accompanied when possible by a minister/ priest, who deliver the news.
International research has revealed that many police departments and emergency services lack appropriate death notification procedures. Many do not have any written procedures and many do not follow the procedures that are in place.
A sudden death, whether it is the result of an...
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