Can an officer who takes their own life have their name placed on the TCOLE memorial?

The correct response to whether an officer who takes their own life can have their name placed on the TCOLE memorial is that the answer is no. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) has specific guidelines for memorialization, and typically, only those who die in the line of duty, under circumstances defined by TCOLE, are eligible to have their names inscribed on the memorial. The criteria usually involve acts of heroism or sacrifices made while fulfilling their law enforcement duties.

While it is acknowledged that mental health issues can play a role in the well-being of officers, the TCOLE memorial specifically honors those who have died as a direct result of their law enforcement service. This distinction is crucial for the integrity of the memorial, which aims to recognize sacrifices made in the line of duty rather than circumstances that are considered outside of that context.

Other choices invite considerations about varying conditions or stipulations, but the straightforward policy stands firm, making it clear that the conditions required for inclusion on the memorial do not accommodate suicides, thus reinforcing the decision embodied in the "no" response.