Yazoo City is considering whether police escorts for funeral processions should remain a free service or if local funeral homes should compensate officers for their time.
Police Chief Ron Sampson raised the issue during the Mayor and Board of Aldermen meeting Monday.
“When we get called to do an escort we have to take two guys off their shift,” Sampson said. “That means we’re running four beats, and we’re down two people.”
Sampson said charging a fee would be a way that the city could continue providing funeral escorts without reducing the number of officers on patrol.
“If we were able to figure out some kind of fee for providing this service we could hire off-duty officers to come in and handle the escorts,” Sampson said.
Sampson said in some cases he believes funeral homes are already charging families for the escorts.
Mayor Diane Delaware asked Sampson to study the costs and make a recommendation to the board.
“You and our attorney need to get together and determine how we might be able to handle that,” Delaware said. “I get complaints from people stating that there weren’t enough officers at some funerals, and I explain that is a courtesy that has been provided for years.”
Ward 4 Alderman Aubry Brent Jr. said that he is concerned that too many residents would not be able to afford the additional fees.
“Many of our residents have trouble paying the funeral homes for burial, let alone paying for the escort services,” Brent said. “I would like to see it continued as a courtesy.”
Delaware said the expense is also difficult for the city to cover, and that’s why she believes the matter deserves consideration.
“We have to pay the officers,” Delaware said.
Ward 2 Alderman Dr. Jack Varner said he strongly believes that police funeral escorts should remain a free service.
“We charge people to pick up sticks, to pick up garbage, to do this and do that,” Varner said. “Surely to God we can pay for the police officers to go out there and escort them to the graveside. It’s absolutely ridiculous that we’d even think about charging.”
“That’s not the issue,” Delaware responded.
“Certainly it is the issue,” Varner said. “We’ve been doing it forever, and if we’re going to do anything we need to do more and send more officers.”
“I’d love to send more officers, but I just don’t have them,” Sampson said.
