Latest changes to APP

APP is subject to review (either scheduled or triggered) in consultation with the relevant National Policing Business Area. All amendments go through a review process and further information is available from contactus@college.police.uk

More detailed changes to APP content may be recorded separately by the the APP team. If you require a copy of APP as it was on a particular date (for example, for an enquiry) please email contactcentre@college.police.uk. All requests must be approved by the relevant Policing Standards Manager.

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Date	Category	Guidance	Changes
20 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Recovering and identifying the deceased and human remains	Wording changed under VHAA section to ensure clarification
20 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Recovering and identifying the deceased and human remains	Wording added under reconciliation files to reflect guidance on recording gender on reconciliation reports.
13 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Health, safety, wellbeing and welfare	Link to 'Striking the balance between operational and health and safety duties in the Police Service' has been updated from 2009 version to the most recent (2018) version.
11 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	DVI roles and responsibilities	Entire section has been subject to review through the APP maintenance process. This includes wording changes, reordering, additional information added, and existing information deleted. Changes include: SIM responsibilities added: assume overall responsibility for the management of the DVI process, liaising with the Welfare Tactical Commander with regard to managing and assessing risk, health, safety, welfare and wellbeing issues Coroner changed to HM Coroner New section on Procurator Fiscal Casualty Bureau has been re drafted and significant detail added CBSAP 2024 reference added Family Liaison coordinator, advisor and officer section subject to considerable amendments and updates Links updated where necessary New section on fire and rescue services including urban search and rescue (USAR) added New section on HART added New section on NILOs added Restructuring throughout entire section
10 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Additional arrangements for contaminated fatalities	Diagram added the the bottom of the page as well as a link to the CBRN contaminated fatalities briefing guide.
7 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Additional arrangements for contaminated fatalities	Title of the page has changed from 'Additional arrangements for contaminated fatalities' to 'Dealing with contaminated fatalities' CBRN incident section has been redrafted The last bullet point has been changed from: 'the needs of the bereaved families are taken into account in the disaster victim identification (DVI) process, without jeopardising the safety of the family or other responders involved in the process' To: 'the needs of the bereaved families are taken into account in the disaster victim identification (DVI) process'
7 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	National and international arrangements	New section added: Crisis management department National Police Coordination Centre has merged with UK DVI and sits under the heading 'UK disaster victim identification' 'Police regions' section has been redrafted
7 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Recovering and identifying the deceased and human remains	Contents has been restructured and updated throughout. Recognition of life extinct section has been reworded to 'Termination of death and verification of death' Family liaison - reworded and content added Family liaison objectives section added Antemortem sample collection section added and more info included New sections added: Support for families Getting hep and further support National homicide service National emergencies trust Documentation in the mortuary - reworded and content added 'Identification evidence' title changed to 'Internationally agreed methods of identification evidence' 'Removing human remains and taking samples' title changed to 'Investigative human samples' Reconciliation investigation unit - reworded and content added New section added under 'Reconciliation files' Identification board or commission - reworded and content added Multiple links updated thoughout
7 February 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	Social needs and media considerations	Title of the page has changed from 'Social needs and media considerations' to 'The requirement of faith communities' Faith communities section has been redrafted Independent advisory groups section has been added 'The media' section has been changed to 'communications and social media strategy' and has been redrafted
28 January 2025	Civil emergencies > Disaster victim identification	DVI roles and responsibilities	Changes throughout DVI roles and responsibilities as part of general maintenance.