ROCK COUNTYSHERIFF’S OFFICE

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE

TITLE: Honor GuardEFFECTIVE DATE:

NUMBER:CANCELS:

SCOPE:APPROVED BY: Sheriff

REFERENCE:REVIEW DATE:

PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to establish the functions and service to be provided by the Rock County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard.

POLICY

It is the policy of the Rock County Sheriff’s Office to provide an Honor Guard that will represent the Office in a formal capacity at such functions as community events, funerals, or any other event assigned by the Sheriff or designee.

DEFINITIONS

CASKET TEAM: The Honor Guard element responsible for ceremonial movement of the casket before and during a funeral. The Casket Team is generally made up of Honcho, Pullman and up to four additional carriers.

CASKET WATCH: The Honor Guard element responsible for standing vigil at the casket.

COLOR TEAM: The Honor Guard element responsible for holding, marching, presenting, and posting the colors. Colors are generally made up of Right Rifle, National Flag, State Flag, County Flag (depending on manpower), and left rifle.

CORDON OF HONOR: A line of uniformed officers lining the route of the casket. It is generally from the church to the coach (Hearse).

HONCHO: The Honor Guard member in charge of one element of the Honor Guard.

HONOR GUARD: Honor Guard – A group of Rock County Sheriff’s Office officers who represent the Rock County Sheriff’s Office at formal functions or any assignment authorized by the Sheriff or designee.

HONOR GUARD MEMBER: A sworn or non-sworn, non-probationary officer of the Rock County Sheriff’s Office consisting of one Sergeant of the Guard (Honor Guard Commander), Assistant Honor Guard Commander, and other Sergeants, Deputies, and Correctional Officer appointed by the Sheriff/designee. The number of Honor Guard members will be at the discretion of the Sheriff.

OFFICER IN CHARGE (OIC): The Honor Guard member in charge of the Honor Guard at a particular event.

SERGEANT OF THE GUARD: The Honor Guard Commander.

PROCEDURE

  1. Rules:
  1. All members of the Honor guard shall represent the Sheriff’s Office in an exemplary manner and maintain a high standard of professional behavior, appearance, decorum, and bearing. This includes maintaining uniforms in a satisfactory event-ready condition.
  2. Uniforms:
  3. Class “A” Trousers
  4. White dress shirt
  5. Black tie
  6. Black “Ike” style Honor Guard jacket with gold Honor Guard badge, white shoulder cord, two Sheriff’s office patches
  7. Hi-gloss shoes with metal plates
  8. Hi-gloss pistol belt
  9. Hi-gloss holster for Glock 22 (sworn personnel only)
  10. Black Stratton Uniform Hat with gold Honor Guard hat badge and gold cord with acorns
  11. Gold framed aviator sunglasses

2. Grooming will conform to Sheriff’s Office standards for patrol personnel.

  1. The Honor Guard Commander (Sergeant of the Guard) will manage the direct supervision, administration, and organizational responsibilities.
  1. All members of the Honor Guard are required to attend training and events as directed by the Honor Guard Commander.
  1. Requests:
  1. A request for Honor Guard presence at any function will be made

to, or forwarded to, the Sergeant of the Guard or the Sheriff/designee.

  1. When the Honor Guard presence is requested, consideration will be given to manpower issues, the requestor, scheduling, location of the event, time constraints, and other Sheriff’s Office commitments, that may limit involvement of the Honor Guard.
  1. Special Ceremonies
  1. The Honor Guard may attend funerals for:
  1. Officers killed in the line of duty within, or outside, the State of Wisconsin.
  2. Off-duty deaths of officers from the Southern-Wisconsin area.
  3. Death of immediate family members of Sheriff’s Office personnel (i.e., spouse, parents, children).
  4. Sheriff’s Office retirees.
  5. Deaths of local officials associated with the Criminal Justice and Emergency Services community (i.e., Judges, Prosecutors, Probation/Parole agents, Constables, Firefighters/EMT’s, Corrections, Dispatchers, etc.)
  6. Any other funeral at the direction of the Sheriff.
  1. The Honor Guard if requested, may also attend:
  1. Community parades, picnics, and festivals.
  2. Swearing-in ceremonies of Sheriff’s Office personnel, judges, or annual convening of CountyBoard meetings, awards banquets, CitizensAcademy, etc.
  3. Special community events such as library openings, Special Olympics, County Fair, September 11Th anniversary events, etc.
  4. The annual Wisconsin Law Enforcement Ceremony in Madison.
  5. Combined agency Honor Guard functions and provide OIC, Honcho, Color Team, or other elements.
  6. Any other function as directed by the Sheriff.
  1. HONOR GUARD SERVICES
  1. Services offered at funerals may vary according to family wishes, the nature of the relationship between the deceased and the Sheriff’s Office, and other relevant factors.
  1. The following services of the Honor Guard are available upon request.
  1. The Sergeant of the Guard will coordinate efforts with the person in charge of the ceremony.
  2. Honor Guard member(s) will stand casket watch while the deceased lies in state at the funeral home/church. Remaining members will be posted as required.
  3. Arrangements will be made for the National flag to be draped over the casket and presented to the family at the appropriate time.
  4. Serve as pallbearers.
  5. Arrangements for a bugler to play “Taps” and to

acquire bagpipes or other music according to family wishes.

  1. Attend the funeral service.
  2. Provide a Cordon of Honor while the casket is loaded/unloaded.
  3. Attend the social event after the service.
  1. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  1. Sergeant of the Guard
  1. Coordinate with the family spokesperson and/or funeral home director to coordinate services to be provided by the Honor guard.
  2. Contact the event or festivities organizer to coordinate services to be provided by the Honor guard.
  3. Provide for inventory and maintenance of all issued Honor Guard equipment and property.
  4. Coordinate with other police agencies as needed.
  5. Will schedule, arrange, and conduct a minimum of 6 training and drill sessions per year.
  6. Will schedule and arrange for training and drill sessions.
  7. Perform as the liaison between the Sheriff and the Honor Guard.
  8. Arrange for transportation and preparing Sheriff’s Office vehicles for the assignment.
  1. Honor Guard Members
  1. Maintain exemplary behavior, appearance, decorum and bearing while representing the Sheriff’s Office as an Honor Guard.
  2. Forward requests for attendance to the Sergeant of the Guard or the Sheriff/designee.
  3. Make every reasonable effort to be available for attendance at functions for which the Honor Guard is requested.
  4. Understand that participation in the Honor Guard is a distinct and unique privilege, and as such, be willing to make sacrifices in order to maintain an active presence.
  5. Although non-binding, Honor Guard members should be willing to pledge a minimum of 3 years commitment to the detail.
  1. The Sheriff’s Office
  1. Will provide the necessary number of squad cars and/or motorcycle for the assignment.
  2. Will consider Honor Guard Members to be “on duty” for the time period associated with the assignment.
  1. FUNERAL PROTOCOLS
  1. Level 1 Line of Duty (LOD) Death
  1. The LOD death funeral is the highest protocol the Sheriff’s

Officer