vehicle in the procession. The lead director can request to be in this vehicle to ensure the proper direction of the procession. If a director chooses to use an agency vehicle to lead the procession, consideration must be given to transportation for the clergy, minister, and/or chaplain. This can be in a funeral home vehicle directly behind the lead vehicle or in an agency vehicle. Following the lead vehicle and/or clergy vehicle will normally be the vehicle that is transporting the deceased. Traditionally, the casketed remains are transported in a funeral coach. When conducting services for Line of Duty Death services for fire service personnel, the deceased may be transported on a fire engine caisson. For those who Graveside/Committal The Graveside or Committal Service is an important final tribute in a Line of Duty Death service. Depending upon availability and the wishes of the family, there will often be bagpipers and drummers who will arrive at the cemetery in advance and prepare to receive the procession. Upon arrival of the procession, the casket should not be removed from the coach or caisson until the remainder of the procession has arrived and are prepared to receive the deceased. It is customary at this point to prepare for the “walk of honor”; however, this may also be done at the conclusion of a service when there will not be an immediate committal service. In the walk of honor, all the uniformed personnel in attendance form two lines facing one another in an orderly fashion. These two lines form a path in which the casket or urn may be able to pass through as moved to the place of committal. The members of the agency in which the deceased was a part of will be nearest to the coach or caisson. A designated individual will call the command “Attention” when the casket/urn is removed from the coach or caisson. All uniformed personnel will come to stand at attention and await the next command. The individual calling commands will then command “Present Arms.” This command will signal the pallbearers to begin a slow march with the casket to the grave while all uniformed personnel render a hand salute as the casket nears them. The casket
are emergency medical services personnel, they may be transported in the rear of an ambulance or other official agency vehicle. To follow the funeral coach or caisson should be the vehicle(s) with the immediate family members. The family may be in funeral home provided limousines, busses secured by the funeral home or agency, or in official agency vehicles. The family will be followed by the agency vehicles in which the deceased was a member of, dignitaries, vehicles from other agencies, agency personnel in personal vehicles, visiting agency personnel in personal vehicles, and then all other vehicles. will be followed by the immediate family, agency officials in descending order of rank, and other dignitaries (Silloway, 2011). It should be noted, in lieu of a casket or urn, when a memorial service is held, this same walk of honor can be performed for the family. As the casket reaches the gravesite, the drummers and pipers may begin playing the hymn “Amazing Grace” and approach the grave from their position in the distance. They will march until they arrive about twenty feet from the foot end of the casket and stop. When the pipers and drummers reach this point and cease playing, the one calling commands will give the order “Order Arms, Fall In.” This will be the indicating command for uniformed personnel to take the place that has been designated for them at the graveside service. The committal service will be held by the clergy or chaplain. At the conclusion of the committal service, the honor guard will fold the flag, if one is being used, and it will be presented by the chief or highest-ranking official of the agency that is present. If the deceased was a veteran of the military, a military honor guard may present the flag folding honors and play “Taps.” The committal service is often concluded by the bagpipers playing as they march to the casket and then continue playing as they march off into the distance (Silloway, 2011).
LAW ENFORCEMENT LINE OF DUTY DEATHS
Law enforcement officers serve and protect the public twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. The service officers provide often places the officers in extremely dangerous situations. All too often, these dangerous situations can result in the death of officers. Law enforcement agencies, at all levels, are typically a close- knit group. The personnel of these agencies often run toward dangerous situations while depending upon their colleagues to assist in their own protection. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund has estimated, on average, that one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty every 53 hours in the United States (Weissberg, 2011). Experiencing life-threatening encounters with colleagues, while depending on those colleagues for one’s own protection, can lead to a closeness in personal and professional relationships. When the worst outcome for an officer is realized and a Line of Duty Death occurs, the colleagues of that officer have traditions and customs reserved to honor the fallen. The funeral services for a fallen police officer are full of pageantry and splendor that is not matched by other formal police functions. This is considered necessary by many to promote healing, to re- instill pride in the department, and above all to honor the dead (Weissberg, 2011). These tributes are normally paid by members of the fallen officer’s agency, as well as personnel
from other agencies. Many of these customs and traditions are also called upon to honor the memory and service of officers who pass away from causes outside of the line of duty, as well as former and retired officers. In this course, many of these customs and traditions will be discussed, as well as the role funeral directors may have to properly honor these law enforcement officers. Law enforcement agencies are composed of both sworn officers and civilian personnel. Any member or employee of an agency who is killed in the line of duty constitutes a Line of Duty Death (LODD). A common conception of a Line of Duty Death is when an officer is shot, or otherwise killed, by a perpetrator while in the commission of a crime. A LODD is not limited to this manner of death. The criteria observed by agencies and organizations to specify LODDs will vary. As a well-defined and clarified example, the Los Angeles Police Department has specified seven situations that are to be considered a Line of Duty Death. These fatal scenarios include officers who are on duty at the time of death, are actively involved in apprehending criminal(s), are confronting potential or actual criminals, are involved in preventing criminal activity, or are protecting others from serious harm. A death is considered a LODD if death occurs while protecting another officer, emergency personnel, or a private citizen with the state of California (LAPD, 2008).
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Book Code: FPA0625
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