Brickbat: Depressing Outcome

Dallas County, Texas, sheriff’s office general orders say a deputy who dies off duty will be given certain honors during his funeral, including a deputy standing watch beside his casket, an honor guard and a final call broadcasting his badge number on the radio. But Interim Sheriff Marian Brown provided none of those honors to deputy Omar Calderon, even though his widow requested them. Brown’s reason? Calderon committed suicide after battling depression. “Due to the nature of Deputy Calderon’s death, the sheriff’s department does not want to condone nor appear to glamorize suicide,” Brown said.