Identification of deceased person

Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.23.030402

I note you seek access to the following information:

1.Can you confirm that officers attending a natural death away from the family hime, may identify the body by ID (passport, drivers licence) and /or NHS prescription records.

2. Can you confirm that in natural death cases such as heart attack, formal identification by a family member or friend is NOT required, the above police identification proceedure carried out by the police is sufficient.

Decision

I have today decided to disclose the located information to you in full.

Please find below information pursuant to your request above.

The police are representatives and investigators for the Coroner’s office. The police investigate ‘unexpected deaths’ on behalf of the Coroner, who then establishes the cause of death wherever possible.

Identification of the deceased:
Mistaken identity of the deceased must be avoided and families should not be approached until a reliable identification has been ascertained. Primary Identification factors must be considered, if possible backed up by secondary identification factors. If primary identification is not possible or practicable then a number (the more the better) of secondary factors should be used. Supporting identification factors must ONLY be used to back up a primary or secondary and NEVER in isolation.

Primary Identification Factors (to be used wherever possible):
Odontology
Fingerprints
DNA

Secondary Identification Factors:
Marks
Scars
Tattoos
Distinctive clothing
Distinctive jewellery
Surgical Implants
External medical devices (Leg Braces, External Fixators etc.)
Unusual piercings (ear plugs or spools, dermal implants etc.)
Supporting Identification Factors
Visual
Property including phones, ID Documents etc.
Numbers extracted from phones (Phone Number, IMEI Number etc.)
Circumstantial evidence
Piercings