Coroner Division Chief

Duties

• Directs, plans, organizes and supervises the Public Administrator and Coroner Investigator Units; inclusive of morgue operations.
• Assists in the preparation, submission and management of divisional budget and the negotiations and procurement of contracts and memorandums of understanding for services.
• Supervises investigations of deaths and assigns cases to investigators; occasionally conducts more complex investigations; serves as back-up to investigators.
• Determines if the Coroner has jurisdiction in questionable cases and decides appropriate investigative procedures.
• Insures proper notification of next-of-kin; supervises the release of bodies to mortuaries and interfaces with funeral home personnel.
• Conducts or causes inquest to be conducted; reviews investigator reports for completeness and accuracy; testifies in court as required.
• Maintains appropriate records; compiles statistical data; provides information to law enforcement and other agencies, news media and the public;
• Receives, secures and disposes of personal property and evidence related to Public Administrator cases.
• Conducts Coroner Division staff meetings.
• Acts as liaison to other agencies and the public concerning the Coroner Division.
• Performs other work related functions as assigned.

 Earn a Degree in Crime Scene Investigation, Forensic Science, Computer Forensics or Forensic Psychology

Requirements

• A Bachelor's Degree in administration of justice, public administration, criminalistics, forensic science, biological or physical science, chemistry or in a related field and two (2) years supervisory experience in a coroner/public administrator environment or a public agency working with death investigations.
OR
• Any combination of education from an accredited college or university with course work in public administration, administration of justice or related field and experience in a coroner/public administrator environment or a public agency working with death investigations equivalent to six (6) years which must include (2) years supervisory experience.
• Completion of a certified Penal Code 832 course in arrest and firearms and a valid California Driver's License are required at the time of employment.
• Knowledge of: organization and management principles; personnel management; public relations; the operations, methods, techniques and practices of the Coroner Division, including the toxicology laboratory, morgue and investigations; Public Administrator duties and practices including probate code practices and methods used in estate and financial investigations and real property management; the Classification of Disease, Injuries, Causes and Manner of Death; laws, rules of evidence and regulations governing responsibilities and functions of the Coroner and Public Administrator; and, budgeting principles.
• Skill in: directing, planning and supervising the work of subordinates; developing and managing divisional budget; establishing and maintaining effective relationships with officials, relatives of the deceased and the public; managing records and preparing clear, concise and comprehensive reports; gathering and evaluating evidence; public speaking defining problem areas, proposing and implementing solutions; and, communicating both orally and in writing sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

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