Omaha Police Honor Guard Procedures PDF

# ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT – HONOR GUARD ## PREAMBLE: The Omaha Police Honor Guard was established in 1954 as a volunteer organization devoted to positively representing the Omaha Police Department through various civic functions. ## POLICY: It is the policy of the Omaha Police Department (OPD) to...

# ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT – HONOR GUARD ## PREAMBLE: The Omaha Police Honor Guard was established in 1954 as a volunteer organization devoted to positively representing the Omaha Police Department through various civic functions. ## POLICY: It is the policy of the Omaha Police Department (OPD) to provide ceremonial services that honor with dignity those of OPD's ranks, active or retired, who have died and to participate in other civic functions that promote the highest qualities of law enforcement and the OPD. The Honor Guard will execute ceremonial functions with the utmost skill, precision, and pride throughout the community while maintaining the highest standards of the OPD and the Honor Guard. ## PROCEDURE: ### 1. Selection and Composition of the Honor Guard * A. The Honor Guard is composed of a volunteer group of sworn employees and has an authorized strength of 32 members. * 1. Members must be off probationary status and have a minimum of three years of sworn law enforcement or military employment. * B. The Honor Guard is an As-Needed Component (ANC) to the OPD organizational structure and is part of the Executive Services Bureau (ESB), Training and Community Services Section (TCSS). * 1. All Honor Guard member administrative requests (Special Duty, overtime pay, travel, etc.) will be routed through the TCSS Captain. * C. Candidates on the Honor Guard Eligibility List will be selected through a formal application process. * 1. Vacancies will be announced via an OPD Information Order and filled from the standing Honor Guard Eligibility List. * a. The Honor Guard President will post an Information Order requesting candidates in the first week of December and will establish the list no later than January 31st of the following year. * b. The Information Order will describe qualifications standards, application instructions, and application timelines in accordance with the Honor Guard Unit Manual. * c. Qualified sworn employees may complete an application packet as described in the Information Order and must submit the packet within the posted timeline. * d. In the event the Honor Guard Eligibility List is exhausted and there are openings on the Honor Guard, the Honor Guard President may create a new Honor Guard Eligibility List using the above procedures. ### 2. Candidate qualifications will be checked by the Honor Guard President to verify they meet the specified qualifications. * a. The Honor Guard President will forward a qualification questionnaire to the candidate's chain of command for their input as to the character, work ethic, and suitability of the candidate. * b. The qualification questionnaire will be provided to the structured interview panel for evaluation and use in ranking candidates. ### 3. A structured interview process will be conducted for all qualified candidates. * a. The structured interview panel will be composed of at least three (3) and no more than five (5) sworn employees and will include the Honor Guard President or designee, the TCSS Captain, and one sworn command officer who is not a member of the Honor Guard or Pipe and Drums Corp. * b. The panel will conduct in-person interviews using a structured questionnaire prepared by the Honor Guard President and approved by the ESB Deputy Chief. * c. The panel will create an Honor Guard Eligibility List ranking all qualified candidates and submit the list to the ESB Deputy Chief. * 1. The ESB Deputy Chief shall fill each vacancy in the Honor Guard using the “Rule of Three” selection process from the Honor Guard Eligibility List. ### D. The Honor Guard members will elect chair officers consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, and Sergeant of Arms. * 1. The Honor Guard President will report directly to the TCSS Captain. * 2. The chair officers will be responsible for training, equipping, staffing, and administering the functions of the Honor Guard. * 3. Chair officer elections will take place every two (2) years. * a. A simple majority shall be sufficient to be elected. * b. Nominations for office will be taken in January with elections in March of any odd year. * c. Newly-elected officers will take office on May 16th of that year. * d. If a chair officer is unable to fulfill their duties and resigns, the succession of the Presidency shall be the Vice President, followed by the Secretary/Treasurer who will then complete the remainder of the term until new elections take place. ### E. A Retention Committee will be convened when necessary to make a recommendation on a member's dismissal from the Honor Guard based upon continual absences from practice and/or official functions or any other issues that would reflect poorly on the Honor Guard. * 1. The Retention Committee will consist of five (5) Honor Guard members, to include the Honor Guard President, Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer, Sergeant of Arms, and one general member. * a. Terms of those appointed to the committee will coincide with the elected position's tenure (two (2) years). * 2. The Retention Committee will evaluate a member's performance, attendance, dependability, and appearance when deciding whether or not to recommend dismissal. * a. Misconduct that results in departmental discipline or misconduct while performing Honor Guard duties may also be assessed by the Retention Committee. * b. The affected member(s) will be given the option to address the Retention Committee regarding the situation in question. * 3. The Retention Committee will make a recommendation to the TCSS Captain for retention, dismissal, or suspension. * a. The TCSS Captain will evaluate the Retention Committee's recommendation and will forward the recommendation along with their recommendation to the ESB Deputy Chief for final action. ## II. Honor Guard Member Attendance and Duty Status ### A. Attendance Requirements. * 1. Members are required to attend a minimum of four (4) of the six (6) mandatory training sessions per year with no unexcused absences. * 2. Members are required to attend a minimum of five (5) Honor Guard events per calendar year. ### B. Special Duty Status. * 1. Honor Guard members are granted Special Duty status while participating in designated Honor Guard training, ceremonies, or functions when absent from their assigned duties for one full day or more. * 2. Members are responsible for obtaining approval for Special Duty status through their chain of command via email. ### C. Overtime Status. * 1. The Honor Guard President will attempt to utilize on-duty members to staff events. * 2. When on-duty members are unavailable, the Honor Guard President may utilize members on overtime status with the approval of the TCSS Captain. ## III. Requests for Honor Guard Services ### A. All requests are sent to the TCSS Captain or the Honor Guard President. In either case, both will be advised of the requested event. * 1. Requests are reviewed by the Honor Guard President for approval. * a. If the Honor Guard is not able to honor the request, the Honor Guard Commander will inform the TCSS Captain and the requesting party why the request cannot be honored. * b. Requesting parties may appeal their denial through the TCSS Captain to the ESB Deputy Chief. * 2. The Honor Guard will not accept or honor any request for participation in any function that could potentially cause embarrassment or ridicule to any law enforcement agency, the Honor Guard, any individual law enforcement employee, or the United States flag. * 3. The senior Honor Guard member participating in an event may withdraw the Honor Guard from an event at any time if a determination is made that the event is inappropriate or continued participation in the event would compromise the integrity of the Honor Guard. ### B. Requests for Out-of-Area Events. * 1. Situations may arise in which the Honor Guard is requested or wishes to attend an outof-area event. Generally, these should be limited to the State of Nebraska or states that border Nebraska. * a. This policy permits the Honor Guard to attend events as far south as Kansas City and Wichita, Kansas, as far east as Des Moines, Iowa, as far West as Denver and Colorado Springs, Colorado or Cheyenne, Wyoming, and as far north as Sioux City, South Dakota. * b. Exceptions to this policy must be shall be submitted to the ESB Deputy Chief for approval via the TCSS Captain. ### C. Requests for Funerals. * 1. The privilege of the use of the OPD Honor Guard at funerals is restricted to: * a. OPD officers who have died in the line of duty, died while actively working, who have retired from the OPD after ten (10) years of service or more, or who were injured on duty (service-related disability). * b. Law enforcement officers who have died while working for another law enforcement agency. ## IV. Responsibilities and Procedures for Member Deaths and Funerals ### A. Procedures for Honor Guard presence at a Line-of-Duty Death of an OPD officer or a Member of a Neighboring/Adjacent Law Enforcement Agency. * 1. In the event of a death in the line-of-duty of any OPD officer, the Honor Guard will conduct a variety of services in accordance with their Unit Manual. These services will aid the family and the OPD with organizing a proper funeral and honoring the deceased OPD officer. * a. In the event of any OPD officer line-of-duty death, the Honor Guard President will be notified immediately. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall be notified. * b. As soon as practical after notification, the President or Vice President will meet with the Chief of Police, or designee, to discuss the facts of the situation and to recommend pertinent Honor Guard services that may be provided to the surviving family members. * 2. For line-of-duty deaths of an OPD officer or an officer of an adjacent/neighboring law enforcement agency, OPD officers may wear the black mourning badge band immediately after the death and for up to thirty (30) days after the date of the funeral. * a. If worn, mourning bands will be attached diagonally from the upper left of the badge (one o'clock position) to the lower right of the badge (seven o-clock position). This represents the custom of holding the hand over the heart when rendering civilian honors. * 3. Flags (except for the US flag, unless ordered by the Governor or President) at all OPD facilities will be lowered to half-staff immediately after the death and for thirty (30) days after the funeral of the deceased. * a. The OPD flag will be lowered, removed, folded, and stored at the OPD Central Headquarters Front Desk and will be replaced with the Omaha Police Memorial Flag (i.e., the black OPD flag) which will be raised to a position of half-staff. ### B. Procedures for a Non-Line-of-Duty Death of an Active OPD Officer. * 1. When an active OPD officer dies, not in the line-of-duty, the Honor Guard may offer a variety of services in accordance with their Unit Manual, dependent upon availability and the wishes of the family. * a. Because the death did not happen on duty, notification to the Honor Guard may be delayed. It is important that immediately after the OPD has been notified of the death, the Honor Guard President is notified. * 2. For a non-line-of-duty death of an active officer, black mourning badge bands may be worn immediately after the death and for up to seven (7) days after the date of the funeral. * a. Mourning bands may be worn on any uniform badge that accompanies any uniform worn by all OPD officers. * b. If worn, the mourning bands will be attached in the same manner as described in this policy for Line-of-Duty Deaths. * 3. Flags (except the US flag) at all OPD facilities will be lowered to half-staff immediately after the death and for seven (7) days after the funeral of the deceased. ### C. Procedures for the Death of a Retired OPD Officer. * 1. When a retired OPD officer with ten (10) years of service or more dies, or an OPD officer injured on duty (service-related disability) dies, the Honor Guard may offer a variety of services in accordance with their Unit Manual dependent upon their availability and the wishes of the family. * a. Notification of the death of a retired member of the OPD may come in an untimely fashion. Once the OPD has been notified, the Honor Guard President should be informed. * b. When the deceased retired officer lived out-of-state or in a location that is not convenient due to traveling distances, all Honor Guard requests will be approved by the ESB Deputy Chief via the TCSS Captain. * 2. For the death of a retired officer, black mourning badge bands may be worn only during the funeral. * a. Mourning bands may be worn on any uniform badge that accompanies any uniform worn by all OPD officers who attend the funeral. * b. If worn, the mourning bands will be attached in the same manner as described in this policy for Line-of-Duty Deaths. ## V. Training ### A. The Honor Guard has six (6) one-day mandatory training sessions each year. Training days occur in January, March, May, July, September, and November. * 1. Requests for excusal from practice will be submitted to the Honor Guard President. * 2. Special Duty status will be given for these dates. * 3. The Honor Guard President may request additional training dates that must be approved through the TCSS Captain. ### B. The Honor Guard President shall issue an OPD Personnel Order to convey the actual training days, dates, and times, as well as the names of those Honor Guard members who are required to attend. * 1. Honor Guard members shall meet to receive training in drill and ceremonies, as well as other subjects that Honor Guard President chooses. * 2. The individual unit supervisors of Honor Guard members shall make certain that requests for temporary special duty/change of hours are submitted for the Honor Guard members, when necessary. ## VI. Uniforms and Equipment ### A. Honor Guard members shall be issued the Honor Guard uniform and equipment items per the OPD “Uniforms” and “Equipment” policies. * 1. The TCSS Captain will forward an Inter-Office Communication to the Police Supply Unit when a member requires a uniform or equipment item. ### B. The Police Supply Unit will issue and account for Honor Guard uniform and equipment items. ## REFERENCES: ### I. Previous OPD Orders * A. Previous General Orders: #30-85, 17-90, 32-97, 10-05, 30-08, 56-15, and 35-23. * B. Previous Information Orders: #179-22. ### II. Accreditation Standards * A. Relevant CALEA Accreditation standards: 22.2.4 and 26.1.1. ### III. Other * A. PPM Monthly Updates: #9-2019, 11-2022, and 5-2023.