rev090407
Criteria For Inclusion for the Carteret County Officer Down Memorial
All submissions will be reviewed by both Blue Knight NC XVIII and Carteret County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge # 77 board of directors. All decisions made by the board are final unless the board finds sufficient reason to re-review individual submissions at a later date.
QUALIFYING CAUSES OF DEATH
Felonious Causes - Any law enforcement officer who is killed in a felonious way as a result of a line of duty incident. Accidental Causes - Any law enforcement officer who dies in an accidental way as a result of a line of duty incident. The category "Gunfire (Accidental)" is defined as an incident in which an officer is the victim of an accidental/unintentional discharge of a firearm by the victim officer or another officer; is the victim a case of mistaken identity by another officer; or, is fatally wounded as the result of friendly-fire during a shooting involving one or more suspects and one or more other officers. The category "Gunfire" is defined as any incident in which an officer is the victim of a shooting by a criminal in the commission of a crime; or, is the victim of a discharge of a weapon by a civilian. Natural Causes - Any law enforcement officer who dies of natural causes (heart attack, brain aneurysm, etc.) while on duty. Health Related Causes - Any law enforcement officer who dies as a result of any health related cause (illness, disease, infection, etc.) that is a direct result of the officer's law enforcement duties. Example scenarios: · Contraction of an infectious disease or illness such as Hepatitis or AIDS · Contraction of an infection or illness as a result of a duty related illness · Health related issues due to a HAZMAT incident Previous Injuries - Any law enforcement officer who dies as a result of any criminal act or accidental cause sustained at any time while on duty before the actual date of death. Written proof, such as a coroner's report or department records, may be required via fax or U.S. mail. Off Duty Deaths - Any law enforcement officer who dies or is killed off duty while acting in an official capacity to prevent loss of property, injury, or death, or is targeted because of his/her duties as a law enforcement officer. DISQUALIFYING CIRCUMSTANCES Any law enforcement officer whose death meets one of the following conditions shall be ineligible to be included on the Carteret County ODM:
Deaths attributed to voluntary alcohol or controlled substance abuse or while the victim officer is under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance
Deaths caused by the intentional misconduct of the officer
Deaths caused by the officer's intention to bring about his/her own death
Deaths attributed to an officer performing his/her duty in a grossly negligent manner at time of death
Off-duty automobile accidents where the officer is not involved in any type of duty related activity
Off-duty law enforcement officers serving as overseas peace keepers, government contractors, or active-duty military
DEFINITIONS
Line of Duty Death - Any law enforcement officer who has died as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty. This includes law enforcement officers who, while in an off-duty capacity, act in direct response to an emergency situation involving the general public or a violation of the law. Law Enforcement Officer - A law enforcement officer is any marshal, police officer, deputy sheriff, agent, or employee of any other title employed by a municipal, city, county, state, or federal agency and has powers of arrest. Any employee of a public authority, railroad, private institution of higher education, or otherwise holds a police commission from a state are considered law enforcement officers. Volunteer/Auxiliary officers/deputies who are granted powers of arrest while on duty are also considered law enforcement officers. rev090407
