Unidentified Body Case Information

Keywords

Coastal, Outstanding, Unidentified, Body, Cases, Information, Recorded, Identify, Information, Digital, Storing, Location, Mortuary, Burial, Cremation, Review, Records, Cross-matching, Systems, Deleted, Destroyed, Shared, Individuals, Departments, Responsibility, Operations, Management, Improved, Crime, Forensic, Murder, Examination, Intelligence, National, Missing, Persons, Bureau, Databases, Command, Control, COMPACT, Coroner, Parts, Kent, Essex, Dental, Orchid.

Publication Number

PUB 1293

FOI Reference Number

16298

Request Title

Unidentified Body Case Information

Date Range

N/A

Information Requested

As a coastal police force area with a higher number of outstanding unidentified body cases compared to other police force areas, the knowledge and information shared by Essex Police will be hugely beneficial for my PhD research.

1.     What enquiries are generally conducted to identify a found unidentified body?

2.     How and where is information relating to cases of unidentified bodies recorded and stored? (Please comment on both digital and physical recording/storing)

3.     Does the recorded information include the location of the bodies within the mortuary, burial, or cremation?

4.     Are cases of unidentified bodies reviewed? If so, what does this involve and when?

5.     What records and systems are cross-matched with information relating to cases of unidentified bodies?

6.     When is information relating to cases of unidentified bodies deleted or destroyed?

7.     How is information relating to cases of unidentified bodies shared between individuals, departments, forces, different agencies, and with the public?

8.     Are there any differences in the above processes relating to unidentified body parts? If so, what are the differences?

9.     Who has the overall responsibility for cases of unidentified bodies within the police force?

10. Have there been any previous operations specifically focused on solving cases of unidentified bodies? (e.g. Operation Orchid, established by North Wales Police in 2010 and tasked with naming the 16 cases of unidentified bodies buried in the region between 1968 and 2002)

11. Are there any current operations specifically focused on solving cases of unidentified bodies?

12. How can the management of information relating to unidentified bodies be improved?

13. Is there a person within the force who would be willing to be contacted by the PhD Researcher to answer further questions that will take approximately 30 minutes?

Disclosure with Exemptions

Full disclosure

Information Correct as at

28 October 2021

Date of Disclosure

17 November 2021

Related Documents/Links

N/A

FOI 16298 Response

Having completed enquiries within Essex Police in respect of Section 1(1)(a), Essex Police does hold information relating to your request, Essex Police can confirm in respect of Section 1(1)(b) the following data:

Caveat:  The data is correct as at 28 October 2021.

1.  What enquiries are generally conducted to identify a found unidentified body?

This very much depends on the circumstances. For example, if there were suspicions that the death had involved a crime (Murder, etc) in which case a murder investigation is the expected response.  There is an expectation the find should be treated as suspicious until determined otherwise.  Alternatively, given our position as a coastal location, a body washed ashore with no suspicious circumstances (i.e. uninjured perhaps), then an investigating officer would be appointed and he/she would pursue enquiries such as forensic examination including a search of the remains for identifiers, intelligence research, comparison with local outstanding missing persons matching the appearance and potentially media appeals.  The investigation should be in line with Approved Professional Practice relating to Investigation Process, Major Investigation and Public Protection, Missing Persons https://www.app.college.police.uk/ together with force policy and procedure on found unidentified bodies.  In such circumstances the officer would also liaise with the National Missing Persons Bureau at the NCA including completing an unidentified case search.

2.  How and where is information relating to cases of unidentified bodies recorded and stored? (Please comment on both digital and physical recording/storing)

Essex Police uses a number of databases from a command and control system to an incident/crime recording system whilst missing persons or found body utilises a system called COMPACT.  Missing persons or a found unidentified body incident is likely to appear on all three with the majority of information on COMPACT.  This is a missing persons case management system that has been developed in collaboration with all UK Police Forces.  Within 48 hours of the discovery, Essex Police will forward information about the body to the National Missing Persons Bureau including photographs, dental records and any other relevant information like distinctive clothes or other marks or tattoos.

3.  Does the recorded information include the location of the bodies within the mortuary, burial, or cremation?

Not generally.  In all instances of a recovered unidentified body, responsibility sits with HM Coroner where the body was found.  This includes disposal following whatever forensic examination is completed.  The Police would not ordinarily be made aware of what happens to the remains once released from the mortuary.

4.  Are cases of unidentified bodies reviewed? If so, what does this involve and when?

Periodic reviews are conducted of any undetected homicides including any involving an unidentified body.  The National Crime Agency’s (NCA’s) Missing Persons Bureau will also conduct comparisons with new remains against outstanding missing persons.

5.  What records and systems are cross-matched with information relating to cases of unidentified bodies?

As above at 1.  Specifically, a found unidentified body would be checked against the missing persons locally and regionally and via the NCA’s Missing Persons Bureau.  Where possible biometric data would be checked for a DNA or fingerprint record.

6.  When is information relating to cases of unidentified bodies deleted or destroyed?

Records should be held in accordance with MOPI.  See https://www.app.college.police.uk/app-content/information-management/management-of-police-information/retention-review-and-disposal-of-police-information/.  If the body was subject of a homicide investigation then the Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act also provides retention periods for material.

7.  How is information relating to cases of unidentified bodies shared between individuals, departments, forces, different agencies, and with the public?

Again this depends on the circumstances.  For example, if the unidentified body was found near to a neighbouring force then information was be shared with them.

8.  Are there any differences in the above processes relating to unidentified body parts? If so, what are the differences?

No, not in principle.

9.  Who has the overall responsibility for cases of unidentified bodies within the Police force?

Again depends on the circumstances.  In most instances the investigation would be owned by the area in which the body was found.  In homicide cases responsibility would sit with the Kent & Essex Serious Crime Directorate (SCD).  Essex Police has a strategic lead for missing persons including found bodies.  Currently a Detective Superintendent.

10.  Have there been any previous operations specifically focused on solving cases of unidentified bodies? (e.g. Operation Orchid, established by North Wales Police in 2010 and tasked with naming the 16 cases of unidentified bodies buried in the region between 1968 and 2002)

Yes the SCD review team has in recent years working in conjunction with the NCA’s Missing Persons Bureau, revisited outstanding unidentified bodies in Essex.

11.  Are there any current operations specifically focused on solving cases of unidentified bodies?

There are individual investigations ongoing concerning found unidentified bodies by the SCD Major Crime Department.

12.  How can the management of information relating to unidentified bodies be improved?

A national register of dental records may assist in the identification of some bodies.

13.   Is there a person within the force who would be willing to be contacted by the PhD Researcher to answer further questions that will take approximately 30 minutes?

We suggest that any questions are sent to the Info Rights Freedom Essex mailbox ([email protected]) quoting the above reference, as the answers would depend on the questions i.e. homicide or review team questions would be sent to the Head of Case Review & HOLMES in the first instance, however, more general questions would be sent to the responsible Detective Superintendent.  Any questions will not be treated as a FOI request, however, this department can send the necessary enquires to the relevant business areas for them to respond directly to you.  It should be noted that there is no obligation on the Force depending on the questions to provide answers, however, we will do our utmost to assist.