In the wake of the death of Charlotte County deputy, Elio Diaz , law enforcement agencies across Florida are wearing a black band across their badge.
It's a common occurrence for law enforcement agencies, as we have seen with the "Blue Lives Matter" movement.
What does the black band mean?
The black band is referred to as the "mourning band" that tightly fits around an agency's badges.
The black mourning band worn across a law enforcement officer's badge serves as a powerful symbol of respect and grief in the wake of a fallen officer's death.
When are mourning bands worn?
The mourning band is typically worn under specific circumstances. When an active officer from a department dies in the line of duty, their colleagues wear the band for 30 days from the date of death.
It is also worn by all law enforcement officers, whether in uniform or civilian clothing displaying a badge, while attending the funeral of an active officer. Once the funeral concludes, the mourning band is removed.
Additionally, the mourning band extends beyond individual departments to honor officers from neighboring jurisdictions.
In such cases, officers wear the band from the date of the fallen officer’s death until the end of the day of their burial.
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