Family Liaison Officer, Constable Andrea Stewart honoured by Prince Charles
Written by author on March 18, 2011
Family Liaison Officers are now a vital part of any investigation into suspicious deaths, road traffic fatalities, and mass disasters. To honour the work done by Family Liaison Officers across the UK, each force was asked to nominate a Family Liaison Officer to meet HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at their home in Clarence House, London.
Their Royal Highness’s hosted a reception at Clarence House for the Family Liaison Officers and Dumfries and Galloway’s representative was Constable Andrea Stewart. Andrea is the force’s longest serving Family Liaison Officer (FLO), having attended the first ever Family Liaison Course at the Scottish Police College in 1999. Since that time she has been involved in a number of homicide enquiries, suspicious deaths, and road fatalities, and has provided mutual aid to Grampian Police following the North Sea helicopter crash in April 2009.
Andrea has a wealth of experience in operational policing, but considers Family Liaison work to be the most rewarding aspect of her work as a police officer.
The reception was held on Thursday 10 February 2011 and was attended by 90 Family Liaison Officers from across the UK. The nominees enjoyed a light lunch served by household staff prior to meeting with their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall who were extremely interested in the work of Family Liaison Officers, and endeavoured to speak personally to all present.
Constable Stewart said she felt “extremely honoured” to be invited to this event and said “ although royal protocol can be somewhat daunting I found the reception relaxing and friendly. I was impressed by the level of knowledge shown by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall”.
Sergeant Alison Moir, Family Liaison Co-ordinator said – “Family Liaison work, although rewarding, can be very challenging and it is heartening when it is recognised in this way”.
