Further Information Available From:
Natalie LaFleur, Medical Examiner’s Office
780-427-4987
e-mail: natalie.lafleur@gov.ab.ca
Det. Brian Robertson, Edmonton Police Service
780-421-3373
e-mail: Brian.Robertson@police.edmonton.ab.ca
Introduction
The Edmonton Police Service Homicide Section and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the Province of Alberta are hosting a seminar on sudden death investigation, specifically designed for police and medical investigators.
There is a distinct absence of training opportunities in Canada for those individuals who are responsible for the investigation of sudden unexpected deaths, and particularly for those individuals at the scene who must decide whether to manage the death as “criminal” or “non-criminal”. This seminar is intended to fill that gap, and to present information from the perspective of Canadian Law and Canadian death investigation systems. Although much of the information provided will be relevant to police homicide investigators, the primary focus of the seminar will be upon the investigation of sudden death, regardless of whether the death was natural, accidental, suicidal or homicidal.
Who Should Attend?
The seminar is primarily designed for police officers, coroners, medical examiners, and medical investigators who are on the “front line” of sudden death investigations, as well as for police officers who are being considered for a homicide/major crimes position.
Topics
A variety of subjects will be presented in one hour lectures, with plenty of time allotted for discussion and questions. Each participant will receive a binder containing complete course notes.
Some of the many topics to be covered include:
- Death Investigation Systems in Canada
- The Legal Aspects of Death Investigation
- Establishing the Postmortem Interval / Post- mortem Decomposition
- Forensic Entomology / Anthropology / Odontology
- Positive Identification of Human Remains
- Blunt Trauma / Sharp Trauma / Firearm Injuries / Asphyxia
- Fire Death / Drowning / Cold Exposure
- SIDS / Child Abuse
- Excited Delirium
- Forensic Toxicology