Funeral providers up the use of security guards to prevent ‘volatile’ interactions

More funerals are using security guards to prevent “volatile” interactions between bitter family members — and the demand is surging as memorial services become a “breeding ground for drama”.

Funeral providers are increasingly engaging security in case farewells turn ugly.

Funeral providers are increasingly engaging security to deal with the risk of farewells turning volatile.

Former police officer Naomi Oakley said her company, Unome Security, had been called in to work at a dozen services or burials in the past year because of concerns things could turn ugly.

Most of the cases have involved people who a family had decided were not welcome at a funeral.

Ms Oakley said she had provided venue risk assessments as part of her work.

She said part of the job was issuing her staff with photos of the person who was not to be admitted, someone who was often the subject of an intervention order.

Family disputes are the main reason for security is in demand at funerals.

Ms Oakley said she was asked to do one of the funerals, in Melbourne’s outer-east, because of concerns the dead man’s wife would turn up and cause a kerfuffle.

At another farewell in the northern suburbs, angry family members who were not invited turned up and caused a major commotion.

“They were banging on the windows trying to get in,” she said.

Those people then went to the cemetery for the burial where police were called and kept the peace, allowing the disgruntled group to watch from a distance.

“There were all sorts of threats. It was pretty volatile,” she said.

Ms Oakley said she had also been engaged to monitor wakes, where the consumption of alcohol could compound friction.

One industry figure said family disputes often raised red flags.

“I was surprised when I started getting these bookings,” she said.

One industry figure said family disputes often raised red flags and that a company he was involved with had previously engaged security to pose as staff in potentially fiery situations.

“It’s fairly normal. I’m surprised you’re surprised,” he said.

Kimba Griffith, the co-founder of Last Hurrah Funerals in Thornbury, said her company had only engaged security twice and that she preferred to deal herself with whoever was a potential problem.

She said people invariably accepted advice not to attend and something as simple as offering to take a memorial card on their behalf was sometimes enough to ease the tension.

“We do definitely have situations where someone is not welcome. Most people make a fuss because they feel ignored,” Ms Griffith said.

“When someone dies, it’s a breeding ground for drama.”

Originally published as Funeral providers up the use of security guards to prevent ‘volatile’ interactions