20-24 Line of Duty Death Recognition and Department Wide Memorial Band Instructions

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

EXECUTIVE DIVISION

SHERIFF’S INFORMATION BUREAU

Unit Order:

20-24

Effective Date:

03-10-2020

Subject:

Line of Duty Death Recognition and Department Wide Memorial Band Instructions

Reference:

MPP 3-03/130.15 Memorial Band

MPP 3-07/120.15 Messages – Types, Transmission and Reception of

PURPOSE

The loss of life in the line of duty is an unfortunate circumstance in our chosen profession. Those who we lose chose this profession to make a difference in this world. And they died as they lived – defending freedom, safeguarding peace, and preserving justice.

Under Sheriff Villanueva, SIB has been provided direction on how our agency will publicly honor non-LASD law enforcement family members who have passed.

SCOPE OF ORDER

Personnel working the Media 24-hour desk. 

ORDER

MONITORING FOR PEACE OFFICER DEATHS

As personnel assigned as Assignment Desk or Media Response Desk Deputies monitor news media outlets for incidents involving the Department, they shall also monitor for news relating to the line of duty death of peace officers across the United States.

If a line of duty death is identified, The Deputy working the desk shall attempt to obtain confirmation of the death from the fallen officer’s agency.  This can be accomplished by either contacting the agency and offering condolences, or monitoring that agencies public information channels for confirmation.

IDENTIFYING LINE OF DUTY DEATHS AND LEVEL OF MESSAGING

The Department publically acknowledges and shows respect for, fallen officers through the use of the Department’s official headquarters social media accounts, and the use of a memorial band. 

The chart below identifies messaging protocols for most types of line of duty deaths. This includes whether or not a memorial band is authorized, and what social media platform to use for public acknowledgment.  If a line of duty death not fitting into these circumstances occurs, desk personnel shall contact a supervisor for direction.

Examples of felonious circumstances are listed below:

• Assault leading to death
• Gunfire (non-accidental)
• Stabbing
• Strangulation
• Drowning
• Crash (Vehicle, boat, motorcycle, etc.) while pursuing a felony suspect
• Vehicular assault on a peace officer leading to their death

SIB SOCIAL MEDIA MEMORIAL TEMPLATE AND EXAMPLE MESSAGING

The Department uses a standardized graphics template to recognize fallen officers from other law enforcement agencies. It is a publisher document with instructions detailed within itself.

SIB team members assigned to post the social media graphic shall utilize the template to create a graphic honoring the particular fallen officer.

The preferred image options for the template are as follows:

1. A High-resolution image of the fallen officer in uniform.
2. A Medium-resolution image of the fallen officer in uniform.
3. A High-resolution image of the fallen officer, not in uniform that is in good taste.
   1. Only if no high or medium resolution image of the officer in uniform is available.

                                    i. What is resolution? 

1. 1. 1. 1. 1.  Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jp2Q2g0A5wc 
            2. Or look for photos that do not look blurry.
2. Memorial Band Badge image of the fallen officer’s agency
   1. NOTE: Verify type and style of badge, as well as band placement before using.

Once the memorial graphic is complete, it shall be posted in accordance with the chart mentioned above onto social media with a message of support for the fallen officer’s family and agency. 

Examples of proper messages are, but not limited to:

1. Our hearts are with the family, friends, and agency of (REPLACE WITH NAME AND RANK OF OFFICER) who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We at @LASDHQ thank you for your service. Your family, friends, and the (REPLACE WITH AGENCY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLE) will be in our prayers. #LODD #EOW

2. We at @LASDHQ are sending our thoughts & prayers to our law enforcement partners in the (REPLACE WITH AGENCY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLE) after the line of duty death of (REPLACE WITH NAME AND RANK OF OFFICER) who’s life was cut short protecting the people he served. #LODD #EOW

3. The @LASDHQ offers our condolences to the (REPLACE WITH AGENCY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLE) for the tragic loss of (REPLACE WITH NAME AND RANK OF OFFICER). We all thank you for your service. #LODD #EOW

4. It is with profound sadness that we join in mourning the passing of (REPLACE WITH AGENCY SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLE) (REPLACE WITH NAME AND RANK OF OFFICER) in the line of duty. Our prayers are with his family, friends and partners. #LODD #EOW

INITIAL MEMORIAL BAND INSTRUCTIONS AND  GLOBAL EMAIL MESSAGING

The Department uses a standardized email template to authorize the use of the Department’s memorial band, as described in the chart, as mentioned above.

SIB team members assigned to inform the Department of the band’s authorization for use shall utilize the template to notify the Department of:

1. The memorial band’s approval for use.
2. The name of the Fallen Officer and their agency.
3. The initial date of authorization for the memorial band.
4. The date when the memorial band shall be taken off.
5. A brief synopsis of the incident leading to the death of the officer.
6. A copy of the memorial band policy with graphics depicting its proper use.
   1. Example:

FOLLOW-UP MEMORIAL BAND INSTRUCTIONS AND GLOBAL EMAIL MESSAGING

As soon as available, SIB team members shall gather information about the fallen officer’s funeral services and make a note of that information in the SIB Teams calendar located in outlook.

Assignment desk deputies shall send a global follow-up email to Department members on the day of funeral services, informing them to remove the memorial band for their next shift the day after services.




 

ATTACHMENTS:

Memorial Graphic template for social media
Memorial Band Instructions template: