Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Police funerals - how much - is too much?

This will probably add fuel to an already hot fire, but I think it is worth saying.

About a year ago, in a nearby town, the newly hired police chief put a ban on all police officers from that town escorting funerals. Any furneral. You had to make your own way through intersections and redlights and the funeral pocession on the interstates.

This chief was not even considerate enough to station a city officer at the interstate on ramps to prevent other drivers from breaking into the funeral pocession or from passing the hearse and cars of the family.

In this county, all other cities and county sheriffs and police furnished escorts for funerals, at no charge. Not only for deceased LEOs, but anyone's funeral.

There was a lot of static about this, from citizens of that town, and from other cities inside that same county, who thought it was a public service and showed respect to the deceased for police departments to provide escorts and direct traffic at red lights and other intersections so the funeral pocession could flow unimpeded.

The city council tried to get him to change his policy, but their pleas fell on deaf ears. Finally, the city council took a vote. The good news is, after the vote, that man is no longer a chief of police.

I think a police officer who falls in the line of duty, as well as Soldiers, Marines, etc., who fall in the line of duty should be given as big a funeral as the people in their communities are willing to give (and as big as their families are willing to accommodate). I would never try to limit such a service - if it was as long as the Rose Bowl Parade it would be okay with me. You cannot "over honor" someone who dies while protecting society against criminals and enemies.

Well said Odessa!

BCBrian,
I believe as has been mentioned that your own point of view could well change if your son becomes a member of the RCMP.

Although I have never been in uniform I am blessed with the friendship of several active members in the LE community and some retired LEO as well. In all probability that has given me a small glimpse into their daily lives and a deep respect for what they do.

It was just this Sunday after doing a bit of stock work for him I bade a good friend in Vancouver PD safe travels back to the coast. I also said a prayer that he comes home safe each night to his young family. It is his face that I see when I consider posts regarding LEO.

I�ve been paying taxes here in Canada for 32 years more or less now. Over that time I have seen the folks in Ottawa urinate my remittances away on some incredibly stupid things. We could begin to talk about foreign aid to murderous despots, failed multiculturalism, �art� projects or even our highly effective and beloved gun registry and still not scratch the surface of that issue.

Suffice it to say Brian, in a plethora of cases they have not been good stewards of your or my hard earned money.

I say that as a preface to this thought. That as a Canadian tax payer, even if I was paying the tab for the officer�s expenses, I would gladly do it. Where do I sign the consent form?

The fact that I am not paying is not lost on me either.

In closing I would echo the sentiments stated by John � jpb- that it is my opinion only on this matter. It is however in this instance an opinion that I�m dead certain of.

Have a good weekend all of our new snow Brian.

Dwayne

This officer not only died in the line of duty, but was killed by one of his own, akin to the Fort Hood incident, if you want to compare apples to apples.

Like many have mentioned some will be there on the tax payers dime but the majority will be there on there on. After 9/11 just form my department we had close to 200 firefighters heading to New York for the memorial. It didn't happen due to the pissin match between FDNY and Guiliani. But us along with the thousands of othes we paying our own way.

The funerals that have been happening all to regularly here in Washington for the fallen Police officers have a huge turnout but those also are for the most part voluntary. My enginge driver is a Bagpipe player and he goes to a great deal of funerals and all on his time, he does it to pay respect to the fallen. So if your inconvienenced by a funeral for a Police officer, Firefighter or Soldier remember that at least you get to go home to your family. It is the same reason that when we are on an accident call I don't have any problem closing down the road if I feel it will be safer for my crew, I don't care if someone is late to dinner or what ever what I care about is the firefighters on my crew going hom tomorrow morning when our shift is over.

Amen, brother.

Again, to say that people should be more considerate of your 2 hours when honoring the death of their friend or family member is tragically immature and selfish.

Regardless of if that person was a cop, fireman, soldier, garbage man or mechanic--we should have the common decency to put our schedule aside and have compassion for our fellow man.

Yessir, there it is.

The majority of the population could care less when an officer goes down. They are more concerned with doughnut jokes and the traffic ticket that was issued to them wrongly by that dumb cop.

Now were concerned that cops pay to mutch respect and waste tax dollars while honoring fallen comrades who die while serving and protecting the unappreciative public.


Where was your concern about waste of tax dollars for traffic and security following the passing of Michael Jackson?

Brian your presenting of this post only confirms what I have suspicioned. GW

I have lost 2 good friends in the line of duty. I have many friends across the nation in Law enforcement. if one of them fell in the line of duty I would be there to send them off. Its a brotherhood. Similar to the military but different. Its hard to explain to those who have never served.

Both of my friends were murdered while alone and by themselves. Both died violently to put it mildly. Both left families. I would have paid anything to be there for their family. Both funerals were impressive to say the least. The turnout from across the nation was incredible. What was equally impressive was the community for one of my friends funerals. Les will remember one of the funerals. The community was great.

What about a small town copper who dealt with every type of call you can think of with no backup? Bad schit can happen in any AO on any given day.

I have never been paid one dime to attend any of my brothers' funerals, nor would I ever do so. Some have been small (as per the wishes of the departed) and others have been massive affairs. None have failed to move me and I hope, in vain, to never have to put on my white gloves and mourning band again.

As to the whole issue of "wasting" the time of somebody that has to wait for the procession......Get the [bleep] over yourself.

George

Goodbye. You just joined Maser and Lee24.

I'm a civilian. A good friend of the family was killed in the line of duty (Philly PD) around Thanksgiving 2008. It was an honor to attend his funeral.

It was unlike anything I have ever experienced. The awesome outpouring of respect and genuine compassion for Tim was indescribable. The Mayor and Police Comissioner spoke genuinely about him (and I don't care for either man, politically).

The rank and file of Police (and other departments) officers that came out to pay respects.

They closed the Interstate for the procession...it was strange and surreal to be driving on it with no one on it. Except at every overpass and every on-ramp, *citizens* were holding signs and flags and shedding genuine tears of mourning for Tim.

Motorcycle "gangs" lined up their bikes and held up American flags along the procession route. Crane companies raised their huge booms up over the roadway to hang enormous American Flags.

I still tear up, thinking about it.

Was Tim worth all the pomp and circumstance? Damn right. He was a pain in the ass at times. However, he was a cop who took his job very seriously. He came from a long line of cops...all dedicated to their jobs.

However, that's only because I knew him. The ceremony and everything related was not only for him, but for the people he protected could show their support, respect, sympathy and to mourn.

I do know that the PBA paid for a lot in support of his family. I also know that many paid their respects on their own dimes.

Aqualung

Michael Jackson's death was not brought up and discussed in my class-room.

Besides, Michael Jackson could not affect the Canadian tax-payer- as he is a product of your culture not mine. I was writing about a Canadian - as a Canadian.

No one has addressed the question I asked in my earlier post.

I thought about letting it lie. But, after a night of thought - decided to ask it again. It was an unanswered question - for my students too.

A handful of policemen have died in service in Canada in the last couple of years - thankfully a very low total. In some years, my own province of B.C., looses more loggers to death on the job. I'm thankful the total of police lost most years in Canada - is so low.

Canada didn't loose a few more soldiers than policemen last year. Not scores more, not twice as many. In the last few years Canada has lost well over ONE HUNDRED more soldiers than policemen.

No huge heavily publicized funerals for them. No people flying in from around the country and foreign lands to honour them. No huge publicity of every detail of their deaths. No huge publicity about their every action in life and every detail of their death. 4000+ military men are not flown in for their funerals to honour each of their deaths.

Why is the policeman's ceremony so over-the-top, so huge, such an event, so much in the news, why such a huge public event - compared to the relative anonymity of what happens - for Canada's 134 dead soldiers coming home from Afghanistan?

I understand honouring those who have fallen in duty. I think it's also fair to question things relating to that honouring.

But why does the typical soldiers funeral differ so much the typical policeman's funeral?

That seems to be a question that no one wants to touch.

I don't know about Canada, but around here tens of thousands line the streets to pay respects to a fallen soldier coming home. They don't do that in Canada?

Well for starters odds are the fallen soldier's unit is still deployed, so they can't attend. Secondly the military isn't a 9 to 5 job, Stateside troops are busy with training/exercises and all. Also the base the soldier was assigened to may be a long way from home. Lots of logistical issues. You do have folks like the VFW, law enforcement, the Patriot Guard who turnout to honor the fallen soldier.

many vocations are revered in our society, maybe because of their exclusivity. working in the forest industry per man hour worked far exceeds firemen and policemen in injury and death. In our situation forest workers provide the economic force so others can participate in a decent life if so desired. Generally people do not just 'fall into' law enforcement. There must be desire and education knowing full well what the consequences of this vocation entails, but they go anyway. Some for a steady pensioned income and early retirement, some for the excitement that does not come with being an engineer in a cube farm in industry, and don't forget the standing in the community that comes with the trappings of the job. For law enforcement to stand together and to support each other is admirable. Other groups of workers do better when this happens, I think its called 'unionism'. I take nothing away from these people who decide to work in law enforcement, its a tough job with risks, shift work (and the 2 0r 3 marriages), driving hazards, dealing with the margins of society on a daily basis, and knowing if I let my guard down for one instant bad sh*t can and will happen. But , some just love the rush of the hunt, I guess that doesn't need explanation on this forum.

Very astute observation Furpick, but very few understand that concept when it applies to humans. It is definately what made me do it.