Law Enforcement Funeral Manual (3rd Ed.)

Book excerpt: This third edition manual is intended to provide law enforcement agencies with a quick and informative reference when the worst occurs: the unexpected death of a departmental member. The material contained herein has been gathered by the International Conference of Police Chaplains from numerous departments and sources. It covers all law enforcement circumstances and protocols and religious beliefs. New to this edition is a section devoted to ethnic communities and death/funeral considerations. Divided into seven sections, the major topics cover: preparing for the funeral, basic elements of law enforcement funerals, types of funerals, animal burials, funeral resources, survivor resources, and planning for the future. Police hymns, prayers, and help and supportive agencies are included for departments to use in drafting their own policies and procedures. Particular attention is given to ongoing care for the deceased member’s family. A “Line of Duty or Serious Injury” form is provided as an example for other departments and agencies to use in drafting their own policies and procedures. The very helpful appendices contain a funeral checklist, a personnel debriefings form, and sample “Line of Duty Death Department Regulation of Standard Operating Procedure and Model Department Policy.”