Phase 1 The Scene
in which it is undertaken will differ.
Phase 1: The Scene
• Scene Coordination Responsibilities
The DVI Scene Coordinator is responsible for the
management of activities during the scene phase
of the DVI operation.
Some of the main considerations and
responsibilities include:
a. Implement the scene phase of the DVI
response in accordance with agreed
operational plans and/or jurisdictional
arrangements.
b. Clearly establish the grid and numbering
system to be applied.
c. Implement clear communication channels to
facilitate the coordination of activities at the
disaster site.
d. Appoint a Human Remains Holding Area
Controller and confirm the location of the
Human Remains Holding Area.
e. Appoint property teams to manage property.
f. Ensure adherence to occupational health,
safety and welfare requirements.
• Rescue operation will be engaged at the
disaster scene immediately, and as a rule, the
search for the human remains of victims cannot
begin until all survivors have been rescued.
• The DVI Scene Team Leader must properly
coordinate with other rescue units to treat the
disaster scene as a crime scene and all human
remains, evidence and property left in site shall
be preserved until the arrival of the SOCO team
for manmade disaster or NBI team in natural
disaster
• In accordance with the establish policies and
procedures.
• In the case involves Chemical, Biological,
Radiological, and Nuclear Explosive (CBRNE)
incident, the DVI team shall not enter the scene
until cleared by the CBRNE team who is trained
for this type of incident.
• The nature of a disaster may vary and the
manner in which
the scenes are processed as well as the sequence
• In man-made disaster, the SOCO will manage
and handle the scene Phase at the disaster site.
• The SOCO Team Leader (or any designated
officer by the DVI Commander) will automatically
be the DVI Scene Team
Leader.
• Structured search and recovery plan must be
prepared as soon as possible. The Scene Phase
Team is responsible for the following:
1. Recovery of the body
2. Collection and preservation of property found
at the disaster site that does not correspond
directly to the recovery of human remains
3. Collection and preservation of other personal
effects of disaster victims found in the extended
surroundings of the
disaster area (ex. Personal belongings of the
victim)
Searching/Recording/Securing
• All personnel should be briefed on the overall
situation prior to the start of the operations at
the designated scene command post.
• The briefing will include the designation of
responsibilities and tasks to be completed.
• Subordinate external helpers and the sketches
and maps of the disaster area to assist the
process.
• The disaster site should be searched and
processed methodically on a sector-by-sector
basis.
• Each team should be assigned a specific sector
of the disaster area which is defined by the DVI
Scene Team Leader.
• Before entering the disaster area, personnel
should be fully equipped and should have
appropriate recovery equipment and
documentation.
Grid
• Personnel tasked with processing a disaster
scene will need accurate mapping of the disaster
area to enable to search
properly and record their findings accurately.
• The search pattern to be applied will depend
on the nature, type or geographical location of
the disaster site.
• Example of Grid Overlaid on aircraft crash scene
Recovery and Evidence Collection Team
• The DVI Scene Team Leader will designate to
the Recovery and Evidence Collection Team the
following tasks relating to the recovery of bodies:
a. Identify and record the location of all human
remains and property using flaglets.
b. Exposure, uncovering and retrieval of the
human remains and property.
c. Marking of human remains and property with
an evidence plate or number plate on which
the recovery number is clearly readable and
cannot be erased.
d. Designation of a separate, unique number for
each human remains and property.
e. Documentation of the discovery site to include
description, photos/videos, sketch or survey of
the position of the human remains, if possible,
with the aid of GPS and/or crime scene
surveying instrument.
f. Photographic documentation of the human
remains for recovery files and forensic medical
examination.
g. Attachment of the recovery number to the
human remains. This number is used as the
body reference number and remains attached
to the human remains during the entire
identification process.
h. Completion of the INTERPOL DVI Pink form,
with reference to the recovery number.
i. Placement of the human remains in a
cadaver/body bag; attachment of the recovery
number to the outside of the body
bag and sealing of the body bag.
j. Removal of the human remains and transport
to the designated Recovery Command
Center/Holding Area.
k. Preparation and compilation of recovery
documents and submission of documentation
to the designated Recovery Command
Center/Holding Area.
• The following principles should be observed in
performing the task:
a. The matching of separate human remains
should be performed only by authorized
medical experts, and not by recovery
personnel unless supervised by medical
experts. Generally, it has to be avoided and
each body parts should be labelled.
b. During recovery operations, personnel should
not remove objects from victims’ clothing or
place such objects in victims’ clothing.
• General procedure when removing the
human remains are as follows:
a. Use a search plan
b. Human remains and belongings shall not be
removed or disturbed until adequately
documented
c. Adequate stocks of flaglets, cadaver/bogy bags
and tags should be available.
d. Grid and identify exact location of bodies and
fragments
e. Remains and belongings directly connected
should be placed in the same bag
f. Parts of remains should be put in separate bags
g. Remains and cadaver bag should be labeled
with the same number.
• The following tasks shall be performed after
processing the disaster site with respect to
property and personal effects crucial in the
investigation:
a. Identification and recording of the location
of property at the disaster site as well as of
personal effects within the extended area of
the disaster.
b. Marking and documentation of the area in
which property is found.
c. Completion of the evidence list in the
recovery documentation, including entry of the
body recovery number
d. Labelling and packaging of property.
Evidence tags can be used to identify such
objects.
e. Once objects have been documented and
prepared as evidence, property should be
submitted to the DVI Evidence/Property
Custodian.
f. Personal effects of victims in the extended
surroundings of the disaster site (eg. Hotel
room) should also be localized and
collected and managed in the same way as
mentioned earlier.
These items should also be listed in an
evidence/property log
provided for the recovery documents.
g. The receipt/transfer of personal effects must
be recorded in a receipt/transfer record
signed by both the receiving and
transferring parties (preservation of chain of
custody)
g. Received personal effects should also be
forwarded to the Evidence/Property
Collection Center, accompanied by the
evidence/property log and the
receipt/transfer record.
• The Support Team Leader shall provide for the
issuance of recovery documents/equipment to
the Recovery and Evidence Collection Teams
such as:
a. Recovery Report (INTERPOL DVI Victim
Recovery/Post Mortem Pink Form)
b. Evidence/Property Log
c. Number plates and flatlets Recovery and
Evidence Collection Team
d. Body/Cadaver Bags
e. Seals and Property Bags
f. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
g. Recovery Equipment
Evidence/Property Collection Center
• The DVI Evidence/Property Collection Center
stationed at the scene command post shall
perform the following functions:
a. Assurance of proper packaging and storage of
property items collected.
b. Preparation of documents for evidence
recovered that should undergo further
examination for purposes of identification or
forensic laboratory examinations
c. Examination of property items for information
of relevance to identification and classification
as evidence, as required (eg. Items of
value/personal documents). Separate storage
of objects identified as property and notation
as “property” in the “Remarks” section of the
evidence/property log.
d. Preparation of photographs/videos of
property items as required for identification
reference.
e. Proper turn-over of evidence/property to the
entitled owners/recipients.
Phase 2 Post Mortem
Phase 2: Post – Mortem (PM)
• Process in which the human remains and/or
parts of remains are described as fully as
possible
• The examination’s processes and methods
applied during this phase include photography,
fingerprinting, odontology, DNA sampling,
autopsy procedures and radiology
• In addition to the examination of the human
remains, property must be meticulously
examined, cleaned and stored with proper
labeling and packaging
• These property items may include jewelry,
personal effects and clothing
• All relevant post mortem information obtained
during this phase are recorded on the pink
INTERPOL DVI Post Mortem form.
• Upon completion of the examination process,
the human remains will be returned to storage,
pending the final formal identification to the
satisfaction of the legal authority and the
subsequent release of the remains for burial or
cremation.
Purpose of the Post-Mortem Process
• The objective of an autopsy are the following:
a. To satisfy legal requirements of the country’s
legal system and respective country of
augmentation
b. To establish cause, manner and mechanism of
death
c. To collect data for identification purposes
d. To document key information including
injuries and evidence for investigation
purposes
Transport of Human Remains
• The Scene Team Leader shall have proper
coordination with the Post-Mortem Team Leader
with regard to the movement of the remains to
and from the morgue station
• Transport team shall be designated and
assigned with responsibility for such purpose
• Human remains shall be transported in vehicles
or on gurneys or tables
• Records of all movement should be kept
Mortuary Facilities
• The morgue station performs the following
function:
a) Reception of human remains from the Scene
Command Center; issues a receipt to the
Scene Command Center (chain of custody)
b) Storage and proper cooling of human
remains as appropriate
c) Organization and transport of human
remains for forensic examination in
consultation with cooperating morticians
and/or body transport team
d) Registration of human remains for the
purpose of documenting the site of
discovery and the location of each remain at
any given time for tracking purposes
Mortuary Facilities
e) Organization of the return transport for
human remains
f) Quality assurance check of identified human
remains prior to its release to a mortician
g) Workflow documentation
• Existing facilities shall be used for examination
of human remains whenever possible
• If such facilities are unavailable, then a selected
site shall meet certain minimum requirements
Ex.
1. Availability of running water
2. Drainage or collection and removal of water
waste
3. Electricity
4. Compliance with all health and safety
regulations
• Separate stations shall be set up for the
following operations:
a. Reception of human remains
b. Forensic examination of human remains
(autopsy)
c. Dental examination
d. Radiography (including whole body scan if
possible)
e. Fingerprinting, friction ridge examination
f. DNA Collection
g. Evidence processing
h. Quality control
i. Release of examined human remains
• Separate areas should also be set up for the
following functions in the vicinity of the body
examination station:
a. Dressing rooms
b. Refrigeration storage rooms for human
remains
c. Storage rooms for logistical and other
equipment and supplies
d. Decontamination rooms
e. Toilets and washing facilities
f. Break rooms and dining areas
Cooling Human Remains
• All retrieved body, body parts and corpses
waiting for examination and identification in the
temporary mortuary shall be properly preserved
through any appropriate and available means
• Refrigeration of bodies and body parts is the
preferred method in storing dead bodies
• Cooling agents shall be used in the absence of a
cooling container/freezer, such as dry ice, but
shall not be placed in direct contact with human
remains since it causes skin burns
• No attempt shall be made to cool human
remains with ice (frozen water), as ice and water
from melted ice may damage both bodies
themselves and personal effects, including
identity documents
• It may also become an occupational hazard for
examining personnel especially in the presence
of slippery surfaces.
• Formalin and quicklime can be applied only to
dead bodies after processing by the Post-
Mortem Team.
Phase 2 Phase 2 Post Mortem
April 12, 2023
Key Personnel and Functions
A. PM Coordinator
- PM Team Leader shall ensure that sufficient
personnel are available for examination of
human resources
- supervise PM activities
- check for compliance with occupational health
and safety requirements
B. PM Recorder (Human PM Remains Registrar)
- PM recorder shall assign Pm numbers using the
number plates properly attached to the human
remains and/or body parts
- PM numbers should then be allocated to the
PM form
- PM recorder will guide the MELO through the
PM recording process and ask for information for
each data filed in the form
- the recorder should ensure that all entries are
legible, all pages and field are completed and all
entries are made in the relevant columns
- the recorder must ensure that the
photographer records the identifying features as
indicated by the MELO
- Upon completion of the autopsy, it is important
that all relevant signatures are obtained from the
various disciplines and are clearly legible on the
relevant PM documentation
C. Fingerprint Examiner
- depending on the condition of the human
remains, the fingerprint examiner will determine
the best method of collection to be used
- If possible, fingerprints, palm prints and foot
prints should be taken from all victims especially
babies and young children
D. Photographer
- These are the general principles for
photographing human remains:
1. Photograph should capture each human
remains
2. Every photograph should bear the PM number
and if
possible, a reference scale (tattoos, scars or small
defects)Key Personnel and Functions
3. If possible, the subject of the photograph
should fill in the entire frame
4.Human remains should be photographed both
clothed and unclothed
- The following photographs are required:
1. All markings, labels and numbers on body
bags
2. Full-length photographs of the body/human
remains
3. Two overlapping photographs showing the
upper and lower halves of the body
4. A full-frame front view of the head
5. An overhead view taken at 90-degrees from
the body/human remains
6. Images of all unique features, such as scars,
tattoos, amputations, piercing, etc
7. All articles of clothing and personal effects,
initially in-situ, then cleaned and photographed
8. All individualizing features, such as clothing
labels and credit card numbers
9. Views of the teeth
10. If the body is skeletonized, then views of the
skull from all directions, and overall of the
skeleton, should be included
11. Specific diseases and abnormalities at the
request of the forensic pathologist
Key Personnel and Functions
Take Note:
All photographs of human remains must be
stored in permanent media or any storage device
that is labelled with the PM number from the
body and stored in the PM file
E. Medico-Legal Officer/Forensic Pathologist
- The Medico-Legal Officer (MELO) shall perform
the external and if necessary the internal
examination of the body and enters appropriate
data in the fields provided in the PM record
F. Autopsy Technician/Pathology Assistant
- Autopsy technician or licensed mortician from
accredited
mortuaries shall assist the MELO in the external
and internal examination of bodies
- The assistant shall perform the ff:
1. Cleaning of instrumentsKey Personnel and
Functions
2. Assisting the MELO in the conduct of
autopsy/post mortem examination
3. Exposure or recovery of important identifying
features with some left in-situ for photographic
documentation (eg. Heart pacemakers or
implants)
G. Forensic Odontologist
- Is a dentist who accesses the oral cavity using
the necessary procedures, including but not
limited to the following:
a. incising soft tissues as required
b. cleaning the teeth and jaws
c. examining the structures
d. assessing the dental status of the body
- Collaborate with forensic anthropologist to
provide radiological views, and interpretation of
them, to produce biological profile (estimated
age, sex, ethnic affiliation, stature and to depict
unique features for comparison purposes)
Forensic Anthropologist
- can provide critical information for a biological
profile of a
given deceased person (eg. Age, sex, ethnic
affiliation, stature
and individual identifying features)
- these parameters can be assessed on the basis
of analyses
of body structure and body size

H. Forensic DNA Analyst

- should be present to provide guidance for
sample collection
- sample collection at the disaster site should be
only performed in accordance with the collection
of forensic crimescene evidence and should
provide for documentation, proper labelling and
preservation of the Chain of Custody

I.Property/Evidence Processor

- the evidence or property processor must check

the pages of the PM record with regard to the
list of all articles of clothing, jewelry and other
effects
- they will then place the objects in appropriate
evidence bags, label the bags with the unique
PM number from the human remains and store
them with the human remains.Key Personnel and
Functions

Other Specialist:
Radiologist
- If forensic pathology specialist are deployed,
they shall work under the responsibility of the Examination Procedures
MELO Phase 2 Post Mortem
- the objective include establishing the cause and April 13, 2023

manner of death and victim identification

• The existing INTERPOL form will be used in the
recording of the dead bodies until such time that
these are revised to expedite the DVI process
• After receiving the remains and records of the
victim, the following should be conducted:
a. The PM recorder will issue PM numbers and
record it on a blank PM form.
b. The PM recorder will give the PM form to the
MELO
c. The PM recorder will enter the PM number on
the recovery report/evidence log and give any
existing effects, sealed in evidence bags, to the
property processor
d. The PM recorder will direct the photographer
to document the body to record what has been
received
e. The photographer will photograph the clothed
body/human remains
f. A property/evidence processor, assisted by the
autopsy technician, will remove the clothing from
the body/human remains and clean the clothing
and other items of evidence (cleaning should not
be done until all specialists have completed their
evidence collection procedures). The evidence
processor should also document the locations
where each item of evidence was found.
g. The photographer will photograph the
unclothed body/human remains as well as the
items of clothing and other evidence
h. The external and internal examination of the
body must be performed by the MELO and
assisted by the autopsy technician, then
DNA samples must be collected through the
guidance of the forensic DNA analyst and the
photographer must be directed to photograph
important identifying features
i. Collection of fingerprints, palm prints and
footprints will be completed by the fingerprint
examiner
j. To assess dental status, the Forensic
Odontologist will examine the body and record
data
k. Documentation of clothing, jewelry and other
effects must be completed by the evidence
processor and photographer. At this point,
evidence should be placed in separate evidence
bags (eg. Objects found in wallets), labelled with
the body’s PM number and stored with the
body.
l. Once the examination of clothing is completed,
clothing should be placed in a clear bag and
inserted into the body bag. Items of
identification, objects of value and jewelry must
be taken to an evidence storage room,
appropriately labelled and tagged for continuity
to allow later the re-association of these
valuables with the identified body before its
release and repatriation.
How to Use the Pink Post-Mortem (PM) Form
I. General Instruction
- The PM form is designed for the listing of all
obtainable data about a dead body that may
assist in its identification in order to compare
that
data with the information obtained at the place
of residence of the possible victim or missing
person and to be recorded on the yellow ante
mortem form.
- The layout of the form is intended to
correspond to the actual sequence of events,
which allow a simultaneous examination of
effects, body and teeth.
II. Specific Instructions
- Photograph the body first, then remove any
clothing and jewelry from the body
- Physical description of the dead body
- Record of any distinguishing mark (tattoos, etc)
- Record any fingerprint information
- Record all medical examination performed
- List all data obtained by an internal
examination that may assist in identification
- Record all DNA samples collected
- Record any further information that may assist
in the identification. And/or continue with your
description from a previous section, if there is
not enough space.