Lincolnshire's Christmas Drink-Drug Drive campaign launch

National World - Other Local Sites

The tragic moment when an officer informs family a loved one has died in a drink-drugs drive incident is shared in this heartfelt message from Lincolnshire Police Sergeant Mike Templeton.

Transcript

00:00 (gentle music)

00:02 - You attend the scene of a serious collision

00:05 and you become aware very quickly that it is now a fatality

00:09 and the scene can be absolutely horrific.

00:12 The most important thing we need to do,

00:16 apart from look after the dignity of the person involved,

00:18 is to find out who the next of kin is.

00:21 We do not want the next of kin finding out

00:23 through another source.

00:25 And as soon as you've got that, those details,

00:26 someone needs to be asked or volunteer

00:29 to go and pass the death message to the family.

00:32 You don't really think about what you're gonna say.

00:34 All you do know from your experience is what you do say

00:37 is gonna affect and change this family's life

00:40 and the life of their friends for good.

00:43 And when you approach the house,

00:44 sometimes you can hear people laughing inside

00:47 and it just makes it all the more horrendous

00:49 knowing that what you're about to tell them

00:51 is gonna stop that laughter.

00:53 And through experience, I know how different people react

00:58 and you never know until you get to the door.

01:01 And for that reason,

01:02 you can't script what you're gonna say either.

01:04 And you knock on the door

01:05 and what can seem like a lifetime before they answer it,

01:08 sometimes they look worried straight away,

01:10 sometimes they just seem really happy to see you,

01:12 but they don't know why you're there.

01:14 And it only starts to dawn on them

01:16 when you ask if you can step inside

01:20 and they're asking you why.

01:21 And again, because you want them

01:23 to be in the comfort of their own home,

01:25 you ask if you can step inside again.

01:28 And if realization hasn't hit by then,

01:30 it soon does when you ask them to confirm

01:33 if they are the next of kin.

01:34 Sometimes you can pass the message there and then,

01:39 other times they're that upset and that distraught,

01:44 they literally fall to the floor in front of you

01:46 and it can take a few minutes, just waiting patiently,

01:50 almost waiting for a break

01:51 before you can actually say the words

01:53 that their loved one isn't coming home again.

01:55 It's absolutely horrific for the families.

01:59 And you stay as long as you can.

02:01 You need to check on the welfare

02:02 of all those that are in the house as well.

02:04 The only thing you can then do

02:06 is try and explain the process,

02:08 what's going to happen with the family liaison officer

02:10 when they're appointed.

02:11 And then you leave.

02:13 And you leave them to the grief and you go to the next job.

02:19 (gentle music)

02:21 (gentle music)

02:24 (gentle music)

02:26 (gentle music)

02:29 (gentle music)

02:31 (gentle music)

02:34 (gentle music)

02:37 (gentle music)

02:39 (dramatic music)

02:42 (whooshing)

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