Officers should wear mourning bands on the day of a memorial service for members of their department who passed in the line of duty. If the hosts of the funerary event make an explicit request as to dress, follow it, even if its breaks conventional mourning rules. You never want to overshadow the deceased’s family by being overdressed. If no such explicit statement is made, you can feel comfortable conforming to the following guidelines. Time of Year A Chinese cemetery in summer. [Image Credit: Wikimedia] A German cemetery in winter [Image Credit: Wikimedia]

Officers who wear such mourning bands are usually members of the same department as those who lost their lives. However, this is not always the case. Further down, this guide will touch on circumstances when it may be appropriate for a law enforcement officer to wear a mourning band despite not having served directly alongside the fallen officer whose death they are mourning. It will also cover the length of time officers wear mourning bands following a passing. When Did Mourning Bands Get Their Start?In addition to the funeral or memorial service, the obituary may make reference to a viewing, also referred to as a visitation or wake. This viewing is an opportunity to visit with the family of the deceased and see their mortal remains prior to the final internment. An officer should wear a mourning band when an active-duty officer within one’s department loses their life in the line of duty. But, of course, it is maybe a class question in any country: the more traditional the family / friends – the more strict and traditional the dress code.

Law enforcement officers put themselves at risk to keep others safe. When they lose their lives in the line of duty, those who serve with them naturally want to honor the sacrifice they made. Wearing mourning bands has long been a common way they’ve come together to do so.If you’re an officer who is unfamiliar with your department’s guidelines, feel free to ask your superiors for more information on this topic. They will likely appreciate the fact that you take the matter so seriously. A mourning band should fit tight on an officer's badge. An officer will wear a mourning band across the middle for most badge shapes. Wear a white or light blue shirt with long sleeves and a collar. Ideally, it should be a button-down shirt. If possible, attend the service if you were close to the deceased or their family. Similarly, avoid going if your attendance will make the family uncomfortable. A somewhat flippant response to attire and funerary events is the assumption that what you wear will clearly have no impact on the deceased, who is already gone. But how you dress will have an impact on the family of the deceased and anyone else present. Therefore, it will behoove you to dress properly. Indicates Respect for the Deceased