Southlake Public Safety Traditions

In the unfortunate death of a police officer or firefighter in the line of duty, the Honor Guard will perform the following services, with the permission of the officer's or firefighter's family:

• Begins a rotation of casket watch to ensure an Honor Guard member remains with the fallen officer or firefighter, 
• Serve as pallbearers and conducts a flag folding ceremony with a flag presentation to the family.
• At the end of the service, a "Last Call" is performed over the radio. This involves a dispatcher calling out a last call of the fallen officer's or firefighter's radio call sign several times, with a pause in between, to signify no response from the fallen member.  The dispatcher then calls out the fallen officer's or firefighter's end of watch over the radio with the date and time.
• In the fire service, the "Last Call" is typically followed by an Honor Guard member ringing a fire bell with three successions of three rings each. 
• In the police service, the "Last Call" may be followed by a 21-gun salute.
• From the service, the fallen officer or firefighter is escorted by police motorcycles and an entourage of police units and fire apparatus to the burial site.  Fallen firefighters are often carried on a bunted fire engine to their final resting place.
• At the end of the gravesite service, it is customary for the hymn, "Amazing Grace", to be played by either a trumpeter or bagpiper and the Honor Guard drums may also accompany these instruments as part of the service.