C A N A D A
RCMP/GRC MEMORIALS
The Importance of Honouring the Dead
by
J. J. (Buffalo Joe) Healy
by
J. J. (Buffalo Joe) Healy
Down through time people in every culture have looked
after their dead in a special way. Even the earliest
communities left evidence of the care given to members who
had died.
Our human nature calls us to pay respect to the dead. We
honour those who have passed before us by being sensitive
to the rituals of burial and by being mindful of tending to
the graves of the deceased.
The Neanderthals of 130,000 years ago placed flowers in
graves and often a grave site was dug into the floor of the
cave where the family lived so as to keep a dead loved one
within the family circle.
Everyone is aware of the extent to which early Egyptians
prepared the bodies of their dead for the afterlife.
Remarkable preservation techniques, elaborate burial tombs
and great riches reveal the degree to which this ancient
society honoured the dead.
In the timeless tale of The Iliad, Aias risked
his own life to retrieve the lifeless body of Patroclus, so
that the slain solider could receive an honourable burial.
Ancient Greek society also offers many examples of the
human need to respect the dead.
Christians are taught the story of Jesus and His
crucifixion. After His death on the cross, it became very
important to prepare the body and lay Christ’s body in a
tomb before the Sabbath in accordance with Jewish
tradition. Certainly every religious group throughout all
time enacts important burial rituals that reflect the human
need to pay homage to the dead.
As a modern people, we continue to give our dead special
honour. As Canadians, we are now becoming accustomed to
seeing dead soldiers returned home from the battlefield.
Special ceremonies are held to receive the body at the
airport and high level dignitaries are present to pay their
respects to the deceased and to the family. Later on, a
church service may be held and the deceased soldier is
remembered and eulogized in a special way as the sacrifice
made by soldier is recognized. The deceased soldier’s
friends wear their uniforms and a public parade is
customarily held.
This unique and memorable military funeral protocol is
not unlike the service held for Canadian police officers
who die or are killed on duty. The protocol which is about
to be described might also be followed by police services
in other countries around the world.
In Canada, the death of a police officer is a very
public tragedy. TV and the media publicize the death and
the entire country mourns the loss. Members of all
communities can be heard talking about the sudden death of
a Canadian police officer. Usually special mention of the
officer is pronounced in the House of Commons by the Prime
Minister.
Quite often high government officials will call
the family of the deceased to express their sorrow over the
tragedy and to offer compassion and condolences. A marked
police car is usually placed near the family home over the
mourning period to show solidarity and respect to the
family of the deceased member. Other police officers from
across Canada and from America and other countries travel
to the place of the funeral to pay their respects and to
participate in the funeral rites and parade.
Other police officers and friends attend the funeral
home and sign a book of condolences. They usually pay their
respects to the deceased as well as to the family of the
fallen police officer. The deceased police officer is
customarily buried in Red Serge – a public sign that he or
she was a member of a very elite group of Canadian police
officers.
Planning for the funeral may take several days and
involve the coordination of hundreds of persons. A special
venue site is required to comfortably hold all the guests
and visiting dignitaries. The Commissioner and Senior
Officers of the Force attend the funeral service. Friends
of the deceased who participate in the service are
instructed about funeral protocols. Other police officers
are assigned to pay particular care of the family.
A parade of several hundred police officers follows a
pre-designed route to the church. Pipe bands provide the
music for the police parade and this adds more solemnity.
Other special arrangements are made and care is provided in
the parade if the fallen police officer belonged to a
special group within the police family such as a Pilot, a
Motorcycle Officer or a Dog Master.
The Police Chaplain may have special concerns about the
liturgy of the service and he or she will provide
instructions to the police officers or others who
participate in the funeral rite.
On the day of the funeral, strict protocols are
followed. Funeral procedures are written out in
instructional manuals and each police officer who
participates in the church service or the public ceremony
plays a special role. The police officer’s casket is
covered with the Canadian flag.
A large portrait of the
deceased member may be placed near the casket inside the
church. Troop mates are assigned to carry the Stetson of
the deceased and others volunteer to speak on behalf of the
Force at the funeral. On top of the casket will rest the
Stetson and Sam Brown belt attire of the deceased.
After the service, a post funeral parade continues back
to a place where the family of the deceased meets friends
and shares events in the life of the deceased.
In summary, police officers hold a unique place of trust
and respect within Canadian society. It comes not as a
surprise, therefore, that when a police officer dies he or
she is paid special respect and honour and the funeral
service is conducted with tradition and ceremony.
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