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'Line of Duty' - Criteria and Definitions


We are indebted to the
POLICE ROLL OF HONOUR TRUST
for providing this criteria

'POLICE OFFICERS'

Any sworn constable and any regular or auxiliary officer serving as a member of a police force (including the former police fire brigades). Also included are retired officers whose injuries were received as a result of their police service. Un-sworn civilian support staff members, for example explosives officers, community support officers, traffic wardens and police cadets may be included providing they die under operational circumstances.

'WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES'

Died as a direct or proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty, the injury causing or substantially contributing to the death. An illness or disease may be classed as an injury if arising from an external physical cause or contracted in the course of duty.

'IN THE LINE OF DUTY'

Death is a direct result of the performance of their duties or their occupation as a police officer.

The circumstances of the death should be directly related to their police duties and not incidental to them - had they not been a police officer would they have died when and in the manner they did?

Includes on duty and in the execution of their duty or as a result of duty whether on duty or not.

On duty means during a tour of duty and comprises all normal lawful actions carried out as part of one's duty as a police officer including routine patrol. It does not include some activities undertaken by choice not subject to an obligation of duty e.g. playing sports. It does not include deaths resulting from an officer's own gross negligence or misconduct.

In the execution of their duty while off duty may include incidents involving:

  1. The arrest or attempted arrest of a suspected offender;
  2. The prevention of an offence;
  3. Saving life or attempting a rescue;
  4. ravelling to and from duty.

As a result of duty may include:

  1. Death occurring some time after the event from the effects of an injury on duty;
  2. hile off duty but on account of being a police officer (e.g. a revenge or terrorist attack);
  3. An injury received after retirement but on account of previous status as a police officer;
    (Injury would not have been received had one not been known to have been a police officer).

CLASSIFICATION

All cases will be treated equally however, to assist in the analysis of fatalities and in the compiling of individual Rolls that may have differing criteria, the causes of death can be classified as follows:

1. CRIMINAL ACTS :-

a)
b)
c)
d)

Unlawful Killing.
Political Violence.
Other Act of Violence
Dangerous Driving 
     
2. MISADVENTURE :-  

Duty involving Special Risks.

     
3. ACCIDENT :- a)
b)

Accident on Routine Duty.
Travelling to and from duty.

     
4. ENEMY ACTION :-  

World War I and II Enemy Air Raids.

     
5. NATURAL CAUSES :-

a)

b)

Death from natural causes contributed to by the performance of a particular duty. 
Other sudden death on duty.

     
6. UNKNOWN CAUSES :- a)
b)

Death is from an unknown cause.
Open - The evidence does not fully disclose how the cause of death arose resulting in a fatal Accident Enquiry returning an open verdict.

     

1. CRIMINAL ACTS
   
a) Unlawful Killing - homicide offences; i.e. Murder and Culpable Homicide
b) Political Violence - namely homicide resulting from insurrection or terrorist activity.
c)

Act of Violence - not at the time amounting to unlawful killing; e.g.:

 
  1. Where death occurred over a year and a day after the injury resulting in death was inflicted.
  2. Where the cause of death was the result of an injury attributable to a crime of violence, or such an injury contributed to the cause of death, but a homicide offence was not substantiated due to insufficient evidence as to: a) cause of death, b) criminal intent of the suspect.
  3. Where a suspect was charged with a homicide offence but no evidence was offered and charges withdrawn or he was acquitted on the grounds of accident or self defence or other grounds where there was insufficient evidence to substantiate a homicide offence.
d) Dangerous driving - death by dangerous or reckless driving, drunk driving or resulting from road traffic collisions.
   
2. MISADVENTURE
 
Death resulting from accidental injury incurred in the performance of an act of gallantry or a duty involving special risks; e.g.
  1. Saving life or other courageous conduct.
  2. The arrest or attempted arrest of a suspect.
  3. The prevention of an offence.
  4. Traffic stops or road blocks.
  5. Vehicle pursuits.
  6. Responding to emergency calls.
  7. Directing traffic.
  8. Assisting at the scene of accidents or breakdowns.
   
3. ACCIDENT
   
a) Accident on Routine Duty.
 

Death resulting from unforeseen accidental injury incurred while on routine duty; e.g.

 
  1. Road traffic accidents, falls while on routine patrol duties.
  2. Accidents on other routine duty.
  3. During training including compulsory physical training but not voluntary sports activities.
b) Travelling to and from duty.
 

In line with police pension regulations, "in the execution of duty" includes while on a journey necessary to enable the officer to report for duty or to return home after duty. In the 19th century and for much of the 20th century officers were obliged to wear full uniform when travelling to and from duty and were visibly available to assist the public as police officers. While modern practices and transport usually mean travelling officers less visible, to all intents and purposes they remain available for immediate duty and current regulations have retained the 'on duty' status while travelling. The journey should be a direct one immediately before or after duty to qualify under this classification.

Officers recalled to duty for a special purpose are effectively on duty as soon as they leave home and such cases will be classed as actually on duty rather than travelling. e.g. turning out to an incident, or reporting for duty during an enemy air raid.

   
4. ENEMY ACTION
   

Death from injury sustained as a result of wartime enemy air raids, during both World Wars. Data sources include Force War Rolls and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, this latter gives place of injury/death but does not indicate whether on or off duty. In the absence of other information, deaths occurring away from home may be presumed on duty while deaths at home may be presumed off duty.

During enemy air raids it was common for off duty officers to assist with Civil Defence work thereby placing themselves on duty and those identified as such will feature in the main Roll of Honour. Officers who are known to have been off duty or have not been identified as on duty may be listed in an abbreviated form as an unknown number may have also lost their lives in such circumstances.

   
5. NATURAL CAUSES
   

Sudden death from natural causes and deaths from illness or disease are included where the performance of a particular duty may have contributed to the death - e.g. a collapse or heart attack brought on by physical exertion involving -

  1. Arrest of suspect or prevention of offence;
  2. The protection of life or property;
  3. Compulsory physical training.
   
Deaths from illness or disease directly relating to an accidental injury or an act of violence and in close proximity to it may be shown under those classifications.
   
Sudden death on non-operational duties is not automatically included, but in being inclusive rather than exclusive, the benefit of the doubt may go towards the inclusion of any sudden death on duty.
   
6. UNKNOWN CAUSES
   
a) Unknown cause.
  Death recorded as a result of injury on duty but the exact cause and/or circumstances are unknown.
b) Suspicious
  If suspected as being attributable to a criminal act of violence
c) Open
  Death occurring on duty but the evidence does not fully disclose how the cause of death arose resulting in an inquest returning an open verdict; e.g. found drowned or fatally injured in suspicious circumstances where the facts cannot be ascertained.
   
SUICIDE
 
Cases of suicide where an enquiry found that a person took their own life will not be included except where the death is a direct result of and substantially contributed to by an injury on duty. E.g. where the death was caused by insanity or other mental illness or severe depression resulting from the effects of an injury on duty. Where such cases are included they will be classified in relation to the original injury.