The sentencing yesterday of Lewis Carr, who was in charge of the Commodore Goodwill when it collided with the L’Ecume II killing its three crew, brought to a close one of the biggest policing operations in the Island’s history.
When Mr Carr boarded the Goodwill on the morning of the 8 December 2022, he could not possibly have suspected that the short journey would continue for at least another three years, taking him all the way to the dock of the Royal Court.
For the families of those who lost their lives, it continues still. At their side throughout that process have been the States’ Police Family Liaison Officers who are always in the background, fulfilling a role which occupies a much lower profile than the senior investigating officers for example, or the advocates involved in the trial.
That’s why as this important phase of the legal process draws to a close, on the preceding pages, we take a look at their work in more detail.
Major tragedies such as L’Ecume II, or the explosion at Haut du Mont, naturally get the most attention, but remember those officers are involved in the full range of cases. All of them are important to someone.
After an incident, media coverage focusses on what is alleged to have happened, who it’s believed is at fault, and keeping readers up-to-date on the various stages of the ensuing legal process, something which can be opaque even when you are not dealing with a recent bereavement.
But at the heart of each one of those stories is a family, who will all be trying to process their shock, while also trying to understand a process which mercifully for most of us, simply never happens. Some will also be witnesses, holding vital evidence.
In this particular case, those families were spread across the world, adding a further dimension to the work, given the obvious cultural differences in how investigations are conducted, and how the judicial process works.
How people process tragic events obviously varies. But what links all of them is the importance of timely and accurate information as to what is happening around them, and what to expect next.
As DC Foord says in relation to her work with the families of those who died on L’Ecume II:
“Every single family will always open my eyes in a different way, and it teaches you a lot about yourself as well. It’s a vocation. It’s not just a role, it’s not just a job.”
