Coroner

Duties

Essential Job Duties

• Responsible to respond to unattended/accidental death scenes and document the cause and manner of death.
• Takes possession of, and transports, the remains and personal property of the deceased.
• Collects information regarding the scene for law enforcement.
• Performs examination of the body at the scene.
• Identifies and secures property of the decedent for decedent’s relatives.
• Maintains chain of command over decedent, samples and property.
• Completes required documentation for filing with State and other agencies.
• Confers with law enforcement agencies to coordinate investigations of death resulting from criminal acts.
• Documents, impounds, examines and identifies all medications prior to proper disposition within a controlled manner.
• If decedent can’t be positively identified, locates and secures such items such as medical and dental information to be used in the forensics process.
• Confers with decedents’ physician, hospitals, other medical personnel and reviews information for investigation.
• Notifies relatives of the decedent of the death and advises the relatives of Coroner Department procedures.
• Testifies in court and gives depositions regarding Coroner cases.
• Completes standard reports and gathers other documentation to support determination of cause and manner of death.
• Processes and signs death certificates to be filed with State and local agencies who maintain vital statistics.
• Reviews death certificates filed in the County for accuracy and files Affidavits of Correction as needed to correct or change death certificates when appropriate.
• Maintains security of files, evidence and human remains.
• Assists medical personnel in autopsies of decedents and obtaining diagnostic samples.
• Accepts, labels, and safeguards evidence and performs other related tasks as necessary.
• Sanitizes and maintains vehicle and all related equipment as well as office equipment.
• Determines sites of death based on oral directions, street atlas, topographical maps and GPS.
• Determines need for an autopsy and diagnostic testing and how to supply supporting documentation as needed.
• Determines what information to obtain from law enforcement, medical personnel, physicians, survivor’s and family members to obtain relevant medical history, chain of events or circumstances prior to death.
• Communicate to the bereaved in a sensitive manner and make referrals to social services as needed.
• Determine how to research and identify family members for unclaimed and indigent decedents before arranging for county disposition.
• Assist doctors with autopsies.
• Determine how to handle specimens and biological fluids safely and with proper chain of custody.
• Preserves confidentiality in all statements and activities with other agencies, the community, at large, and the media as regards a death investigation, decedent, or family members.
• Position requires ability to be on call and work outside of regular business hours.
• Drive county owned vehicles.
• Subject to emotional duress,
• Exposure to blood borne pathogens.
• Position will be exposed to unpleasant odors associated with close physical contact with decomposing human remains.
• Handling of human remains.
• Preparing bodies for funeral homes.
• Collecting blood, urine, vitreous and other specimens for laboratory packaging.
• Subject to high stress that varies greatly and may be impacted by the following: Age of the decedent; Relationship of the decedent to the investigator; Cause, manner and nature of the death; environmental, structural and biohazardous conditions of the scene of death; Severity of the grief response of survivors and/or family and friends of decedent.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

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

Requirements

Requirements/Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of principles, practices, and techniques and related tools/equipment to accomplish the basic function of this position, including any safety and/or legal requirements. Proficient in use of computers including word processing, spreadsheets and databases. This may, but not necessarily, include specialized skills.
• Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the applicant with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform this job. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
• Five years’ experience that includes exposure to violent crime and death scenes, cleaning of violent crime and death scenes, providing transportation of human remains, working with and counseling grieving families or equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities; Or,
• Two-year degree from an accredited college or university in biology, physiology, forensic studies, anatomy or medical disciplines and one to two years in death investigation: Or
• Four-year degree in Criminal Justice or Associates of Arts Degree in Health Science or Mortuary Science.
• Five (5) years of experience conducting death investigations for coroners, medical examiners or law enforcement.
• Professional certification with the American Board of Medicolegal Investigators (ABMDI).

Licenses, Certificates and Other Requirements

• Valid state driver's license.
• Background investigation (criminal, general employment)

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