DEPUTY CORONER

JOB
The purpose of the class is to identify all deceased persons in the County and determine the cause and manner of death, to perform administrative and clerical duties as required to ensure effective and efficient office operations, and to perform related work as required. This class works within broad policy and organizational guidelines, does independent planning and implementation, and reports progress of major activities through periodic conferences and meetings. Deputy Coroners are appointed and thereby serve at the pleasure of the Coroner.More than one position may be filled through this posting.This posting may close prior to posted closing date if sufficient qualified candidates are received.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS· • Responds to calls regarding a death; in cases of death that do not require a response to the scene, obtains all essential information from reporting person to complete an official Coroner’s report.• Goes to scenes of death in cases where sudden, unexpected deaths have occurred as a result of natural, accidental or violent circumstances including deaths unattended by a medical physician; documents death scenes by photographing and/or sketching the deceased and the death scene as necessary; and obtains a funeral home the family would like to use and makes contact with the funeral home for the family.• Consults with family members, witnesses, attorneys, medical personnel, law enforcement personnel, pathologists, toxicologists, pharmacists, anthropologists, dentists, behavioral profilers, fire department personnel, laboratory personnel, and others as necessary to gather information for conducting death investigations.• Issues subpoenas for the collection of medical records or other evidence as necessary.• Determines identity of decedent and establishes date and time of death.• Obtains fingerprints, palm prints and foot prints for decedent identification and/or case investigation; obtains blood samples, urine samples and/or ocular samples for toxicology analysis as necessary; obtains prior medical records, dental records, and x-rays as needed; logs in evidence and/or toxicology samples into both hardcopy and computer files; labels samples and placed in the appropriate bin per protocols; and logs and dates samples to be destroyed.• Works with autopsy staff to schedule autopsies; creates an autopsy authorization with a typed narrative of the nature of the case and possible cause and manner of death; secures and identifies body in body bag; arranges for transport of the body to the morgue; and notifies the family and law enforcement of the time the body is scheduled for autopsy.• Assists with autopsies and/or forensic studies to determine cause and manner of death.• Completes death certificates and a Coroner’s report describing the death.• Collects, secures and returns the decedent’s personal effects to the legal next-of-kin.• Reports child and vulnerable adult deaths to the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Special Victims unit, as per the state statute (17-5-540, 17-5-555). Coordinates with appropriate agencies for the child death case review per the state statute (17-5-541.• Provides information and assistance to family members of the deceased as appropriate.• Provides court testimony regarding cases as required.• Issues burial/removal/transit/cremation permits as appropriate.• Attends training, seminars, professional meetings, etc. as necessary to enhance job knowledge and skills.• Performs general administrative/clerical work as required, including but not limited to preparing reports and correspondence, entering and retrieving computer data, copying and filing documents, sending and receiving faxes, answering the telephone, etc.• May be on-call 24 hours a day, seven (7) days a week as assigned.• Performs other related job duties as assigned. All County employees are considered public servants for the citizens of Dorchester County. When requested before, during, or after an emergency event, County employees are expected to work and serve the public in coping with the emergency.