Police officers are regularly called upon to investigate incidents involving serious injuries, illnesses and death. During the course of these investigations it often becomes necessary to notify the next of kin.
Whenever such notifications are required, the officer shall obtain complete and accurate information concerning the persons name, address, nature and extent of injuries or illness, circumstances of death, hospital, funeral home or other pertinent location involved.
The officers will contact a police chaplain, brief the chaplain of the circumstances surrounding the incident at a place away from the next of kin before the notification is made, and together they will make every effort to contact the next of kin in person or, if in another city, to have a police representative from that city notify the next of kin in person. If at all possible, death notification by phone is to be avoided. Notifications concerning serious injuries or illness may be made by telephone when time is of the essence and expeditious notification is necessary.
If an officer is detailed to make notifications of a similar nature as a result of a request from other jurisdictions, the officer will contact a police chaplain, and together they will make every effort to promptly notify the next of kin in person. If the notification cannot be made, the requesting agency will be notified of that fact and the reason the notification could not be made.
If a chaplain cannot be located, the officer will make the notification in a considerate manner and assist the family in anyway he or she can.
Revised July 1, 2011