Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) involves recovering and identifying deceased individuals, particularly in mass fatality incidents (MFIs), to prevent misidentification. This process is essential for both respect to the deceased and legal reasons. Disasters, whether natural or man-made, cause significant harm and require efficient victim identification.
In response to the need
for DVI management in the ASEAN region, the Jakarta Centre of Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) conducted a DVI Commanders Program from May 13-17, 2024, in Semarang, Indonesia. Sponsored by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the program aimed to introduce DVI incident management techniques to commanders across the region. JCLEC, jointly operated by the Indonesian National Police (INP) and AFP, focuses on training against transnational crime and counter-terrorism.
The program was led by experts from Kedokteran Kepolisian (DOKPOL) Indonesia and included formal classes and simulation sessions. The five phases of the DVI process (Disaster Scene and Management, Post-Mortem, Ante-Mortem, Reconciliation, and Debriefing) were thoroughly covered, along with media management and quality assurance. Participants also engaged in realistic simulations using the KERIS system.
The course successfully trained 48 law enforcement officers and doctors from nine ASEAN countries, enhancing skills and knowledge sharing in line with JCLEC's motto, "Learning and Understanding Through Shared Experience." The event emphasized the importance of cooperation, collaboration, and integration among stakeholders in DVI management. ASEANAPOL Scretariat was represented by ACP Dr. Bakri Zainal Abinin, Director for Police Services and ASP Nithia Perumal under the supervision of Executive Director David Martinez Vinluan in the activity.
“Together We Keep This Region Safe”