There are no official rules regarding how one should wear a mourning band. However, there are guidelines most police officers and departments generally agree upon. They include the following: In Sweden this never happens or at least very seldom: Closed coffin, mostly sinks down to the cellar (if there is a crematorium in the building), or discretely taken away by the undertakers, after the service. The final arbiters of what should be worn at a funeral or memorial service will always be the family or friends hosting the event. It is entirely possible that the deceased was an extremely casual person who would not want the bereaved to dress up to honor them. In such cases, the hosts will make an alternative dress code clear. Public mourning can involve a range of acts and practices. In some cultures, wearing clothing of a particular color after death is an act of public mourning. Wearing symbols of mourning is a similar practice. 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.

Along with law enforcement officers, members of other groups who put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public may sometimes wear mourning bands. They may not always perfectly resemble the mourning bands that law enforcement officers wear, but they have the same meaning. For instance, sometimes firefighters and emergency medical services providers wear their versions of mourning bands. Members of armed forces throughout the world may do so as well. What’s the Etiquette Around Mourning Bands? Viewings are usually held a few days prior to the funeral and are scheduled to last for several hours. Often, because of their extended timeframe, it can be more convenient to attend a viewing than the actual funeral or memorial service. The sleeve band is from three and a half to four and a half inches in width and is of dull cloth on overcoats or winter clothing, and of serge on summer clothes.... 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.In most of Europe and North America, highly ritualized mourning customs were largely discarded by the middle of the 20th century and generally assumed the scale and appearance by which they are recognized today. 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. Mourning bands can come in several shapes and sizes. A basic mourning band is simply a garment or accessory that someone wears around a part of their body or on an important part of a uniform. 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]

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 There were also strict rules about the formality and types of clothing that were to be worn at mourning events like funerals or memorial services, dictated by factors such as one’s relationship to the deceased, one’s status, and even one’s profession. Taking care to dress in a manner that is appropriate and dignified shows your respect for the person who passed. You are honoring their legacy by taking the time to dress correctly for a unique event intended to honor their life and achievements. Just as with happier occasions like birthday parties or weddings, putting in the effort to dress appropriately for the occasion is always an indication of good taste and genuine consideration for your hosts. Shows Solidarity with the Bereft 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.

Mourning Bands in Chinese Culture

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 sheriff, chief of police, or similar authority (such as an agency director) can also instruct officers under their command or within their agency, precinct, or jurisdiction to wear mourning bands on days when they feel doing so is appropriate. Officers are to comply with this directive.As a late convert to baseball, one of the things that impressed me with the sport and made me see that there was much done withing the culture of the game that I could relate to was....the mourning bands and hatchments the estimable Lizzie quite rightly mentions. 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? Once you learn of the death of someone whom you knew or if you discover that a relative or close friend of a co-worker or friend has died, your first step should be to write a condolence letter. Whether you intend to attend the funeral or memorial service or not, a letter is still a nice gesture. Funerals and memorial services are where the living interact to honor and mourn the dead. It is a time to pay extra attention to etiquette when emotions and feelings are so raw. Keeping the following guidelines in mind will ensure that you behave appropriately and respectfully.