Corrections_Today_March_April_2020_Volume 82, Number 2

Communications & Publications

Bookshelf

and conducting a funeral for a member who tragically passes away. The manual describes every part of procedure, from notifying the next of kin, to the basic elements of a law enforcement funeral, to discussing what to do after the funeral, such as offering resources to survivors. What’s notable about this book is that, for a manual about conducting law enforcement funerals, it is an incredibly empathetic and thoughtful guide. Sanders makes sure that anyone who is following the manual thinks about all angles of the procedure. In the first chapter, “Preparing for the Funeral,” Sanders advises that at least two people go to notify the deceased’s family in person about their loved one’s passing, highlighting key phrases that should be used and methods to ensure the information is delivered clearly. This includes having the bearers of the news have the loved one sit down before the news is delivered to ensure the person does not hurt themselves if they faint or collapse after hearing the news. Likewise, the manual is also laudable for ensuring that numerous forms of funerals are performed depending on various factors of the deceased’s life. Sanders advises that non-Judeo/Christian funeral rituals are noted and explained, such as Islamic and Hindu funerals. He even offers information for funerals for groups less likely to be thought of in these times, such as Amish and Hmong funerals. The manual includes suggested passages, hymnals, poems and other materials that can be read at

funerals while considering the religious and cultural backgrounds of the deceased. Some of these suggested readings were included in the manual with permission from law enforcement departments that have had to conduct funerals in the past. This includes “Part of America Died,” a poem read in memory of Atlantic City Police Department patrolman John Burke. Others are more public domain pieces such as “Amazing Grace” or religious text such as the Mourners Kaddish from the Jewish Torah or The Fatiha, the opening of the Qu’Ran. The manual describes every part of procedure, from notifying the next of kin, to the basic elements of a law enforcement funeral, to discussing what to do after the funeral, such as offering resources to survivors. One possible shortcoming of the manual is that it seems geared more towards police officers than correctional officers and employees. However, Sanders includes enough material that can apply to any employees who have died in the line of duty and off-duty. His objective, it seems, is to provide enough information to be a resource if the need

Law Enforcement Funeral Manual: A Practical Guide for Law Enforcement Agencies When Faced with the Death of a Member of Their Department Written by William P. Sanders, Charles C. Thomas Publisher, LTD., 3 rd Edition (2019), 140 pp. Reviewed by Alexander Carrigan, associate editor, American Correctional Association, and freelance book critic. It is no surprise to say that working in the corrections field can be a tireless and dangerous job. Correctional officers and employees are continually putting themselves in positions with risk for violence and death. Of course, if matters go wrong and it results in the death of a correctional officer or employee in the line of duty, the matter of arranging a funeral become necessary. In the 3 rd edition of the “Law Enforcement Funeral Manual,” William P. Sanders and The International Conference of Police Chaplains seek to educate those who work in law enforcement and adjacent fields in the processes involved in arranging

64 — March/April 2020 Corrections Today