Any police officers around to answer a question on procedure please? (Warning: Concerns a death)

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

Could anyone tell me what should happen in this situation?

A person becomes ill, an ambulance is called and it’s too late, they can’t save them. Paramedics call the police and a sergeant attends, paramedics leave.

What should happen next?

Consider whether there are suspicious circumstances and call the coroner. Unusual for a sargeant to attend.

I think it was more he was the only one available.

The police have to stay with the deceased until an undertaker comes and takes them away.

In some situations (car crash) wouldn't the ambulance remove the dead person from the scene rather than leaving the body behind?

Why would the police need to stay until the undertaker arrives? When a relative of mine died the body stayed in the house for 2 nights before the undertaker came.

This is what Dh has said (also a PC but I needed someone not involved to confirm). They left the scene and that was that, he did nothing apart from tell family (not on scene) to contact an undertaker.

Police stay till doc certifies the death. If GP is happy to do this the undertakers can remove the body. If GP is unhappy to certify the police surgeon would be called to attend

So has a Dr certified then death?, I thought Paramedics couldn't do it even when it was very very obvious the person was dead.

It depends on how recently the deceased had seen their GP and if their death was reasonably anticipated (those aren't the right words but it's of that nature).

So a previously healthy 30 year old who hadn't seen their GP for sometime suddenly becomes ill and dies at home they would have to treat it as a potential crime scene and would stay until the body was taken for autopsy.

A 87 year old who saw their GP in the last week and the GP can confirm had a condition that was likely to have caused death then the police wouldn't hang around. If the GP hadn't seen them for some time or if there was some concern over the death (e.g potentially a fall, or medication overdose) then they still would regardless of age.

It's all about circumstances.

Well a doctor did certify the death. But the coroner has now been in touch requesting medical history because the doctor couldn’t confirm cause of death (only an assumption) and a post-mortem may now have to be carried out.

IME the paramedics declared death, the police came and organised the on-call undertakers to remove the body to the coroner's office for PM. Police took statements while waiting for undertakers and all left about the same time. The police did not leave anyone with the body due to the need for a PM / potential evidence etc.

When my dad died at home, ambulance and police attended. The ambulance left before the police. The police left after asking us which undertaker we wanted to use, and they arranged for the undertaker to arrive. The undertaker arrived a couple of hours after the police had left. I don't know if this was because my dad wasn't a sudden death - he was ill and the doctor had been out to see him within the last 24 hours.

When my dh died at home we ended up with a detective sargent and two police officers. This was because the death was unexpected. If the death was expected then a GP will come out and certify death but police are not involved.

The police represent the coroner's office and stay with the body if the death is unexpected until the undertaker arrives - particulary if a post mortem is required.

The Doctor may know the deceased's medical history well and would consent to sign the death certificate. However it may be a case that GP had not seen the lady/gent within a certain timeframe before death, set by law. Then it has to be sadly treated as an sudden death which is very upsetting everyone, family , friends, GP, and Police

So the police left and the deceased was left with a flat mate for several hours whilst family were just told via phone call from police to arrange an undertaker. Now a post-mortem needs to be carried out but surely the scene/ evidence hasn’t been preserved?

When my dad died at home, alone, we had a paramedic, then 2 police men, who called their sargeant who came out, something to do with a senior officer confirming no suspicious circumstances due to being found dead at home with no witnesses. They took lots of information on his health, notes of his medication, who saw him the night before, how he was, who found him etc. Not sure who confirmed death but no Dr attended.

He was taken to the hospital mortuary, for a possible post mortum to confirm cause of death as his gp was on holiday and no other Dr had seen him/he had not attended in the surgery for 2 years (he only had home visits as housebound with copd). Thankfully, as it upset mum, a few days later after reviewing his medical history they agreed a post mortum was not required and the hospital issued the death certificate.

I think a pathologist will be able to ascertain cause of death regardless. Are you concerned the flat mate might have done something to the body after the person died?

Or that the death might be suspicious and the flat mate had opportunity to cover it up? Because I can’t think how anyone could cover a suspicious death up even with access to the body.

or Are you worried the police have assumed it’s natural causes and you’re worried if the PM says it’s murder the killer could have disposed of evidence, etc? I suppose the police will have a good idea if it’s natural causes or not, so no obvious signs of violence. If the PM shows something else such as poisoning or suffocation there’s not much in the way of a crime scene/evidence anyway. Plus a killer could get rid of stuff before calling an ambulance. So then it comes down to motive, opportunity plus evidence from the PM.

We’re fairly sure it was a heart attack and no I don’t think the flat mate had anything to do with it, I just feel uneasy about him being left alone there, what if he was disrespectful?

The flat mate probably felt uneasy being left there as well to be honest but I do for where you are coming from.

The only experience I have is of my grandad, whose death wasn't exactly unexpected but wasn't quite expected then iyswim. He had seen a doctor within the previous 48 hours. He died late at night on Christmas Eve and the police did stay in the house until he was collected but there was no need for a post - mortem. My mum maintains he was happy staying there in a nice warm house especially as it was Christmas Eve so loads of drinks to deal with outside in the cold! No idea whether it was correct procedure or not but he was very nice to my mum and nan in very difficult circumstances.

*drunks

In our Force Police will only stay with the body if the deceased is going to the Police mortuary. If its declared a medical death theyll leave things with family. Sergeants go to all sudden deaths albeit he doesnt deal with it that's left to the officers who are assigned the call

The flat mate was probably quite sad about the whole situation. Hopefully nobody would be disrespectful in such a situation.

I am sorry for your loss.

Unexpected death and no gp to certify it becomes a coroners case so police are expected to make their enquiries and ensure identified deceased goes to mortuary with continuity of evidence ( so not left unattended at any time).
Doesn’t sound like death was certified but merely confirmed if a post-mortem is required and the gp couldn’t state cause of death.
Sorry OP but sounds like Police cut corners when they should have remained on scene.