Medicolegal Death Investigator I (Temp/Full-Time Or Part-Time)

Hiring pay range: $23.83 - $29.79

Full pay range: $23.83 - $35.75

This position is temporary for up to six months. Open to either full-time or part-time. Full-time employees are eligible for employee benefits.

SUPERVISION:

Non-Supervisory.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

• Medicolegal Death Investigator I: This is the entry-level position in the Medicolegal Death Investigator job series.
• Medicolegal Death Investigator II: Performs professional, intermediate death investigations on more complete cases, and is the second level in the Medicolegal Death Investigator job series.

GENERAL PURPOSE OF JOB:

Performs technical work to investigate deaths within Garfield County, determine cause and manner of death, and locate, process, and secure evidence.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

(These duties are illustrative of typical essential responsibilities of the job, and may vary according to assignment)

Medicolegal Death Investigator I:

• Develops working knowledge of Garfield County Coroner’s Office Policy and Procedures and Garfield County Procedures. Prepares, presents, and maintains reports and records as required. Participates in required training. Maintains continuing education hours as determined by the coroner.
• Receives calls on deaths occurring within the County. Confers with medical professionals, police agencies, fire departments or other involved parties to determine whether to investigate or not.
• Responds to calls relating to violent or sudden deaths. Examines death scene and confers with appropriate parties including witnesses, next-of-kin, law enforcement officers and medical professionals to ascertain circumstances, medical history, and cause of death. Photographs death scene. Makes positive identification, takes possession of, and accounts for personal effects of the deceased.
• Secures, protects, and retains the chain of evidence at crime scenes, and coordinates crime investigation with law enforcement, prosecutors, or other investigating agencies.
• Gathers and transports human remains and evidence to Garfield County Coroner’s Office or appropriate law enforcement agencies; may coordinate transportation arrangements of human remains and evidence.
• Writes complete and comprehensive statement of investigation and other reports to support cause and manner of death. Fills out and signs death certificates indicating classification and method of death.
• Determines the need for an autopsy and requests autopsies. Interviews witnesses and may assist in autopsies including body preparation. Identifies tissue and fluid samples. Assists with the collection and preservation of physical and biological evidence in criminal cases and testifies in court.
• Secures and sends blood samples to toxicologist and notifies appropriate authorities of the results, when applicable.
• Identifies and locates next-of-kin and makes in-person notifications when in Garfield County and surrounding areas. Identifies and notifies local jurisdiction to make in-person notification, when not located in Garfield County or surrounding areas.
• Participates in the development and modification of methods, techniques, and procedures for death investigation services, protocols, methods, and procedures.
• Maintains cleanliness of the morgue and coroner’s office vehicles; checks equipment, orders supply, and maintains appropriate records.
• Serves as office liaison with other agencies and private businesses such as law enforcement, fire, funeral homes, etc.
• Trains or assists in training of new personnel and at times gives training to the general public, military, or other law enforcement agencies in proper techniques of death investigation or general guidelines of death investigation.
• Performs clerical functions such as maintenance of case logs and reports, typing of correspondence and other reports.
• Investigates criminal and non-criminal cases. Execute search warrants. Prepares cases and testifies in court.
• Participates in search and recovery efforts.
• Participates in crime scene investigation, follow-up, and processing obtaining fingerprints, toxicology, specimen samples, and DNA samples of the deceased.
• Performs external examinations of the deceased.
• Maintains and cleans office, garage areas, and vehicles.

Medicolegal Death Investigator II:

• Performs all functions of the Medicolegal Death Investigator I.
• Provides leadership and oversight to Medicolegal Death Investigator I in daily operations. Promotes teamwork and professionalism.
• Exhibits advanced knowledge and provides training for Medicolegal Death Investigator I when necessary.
• Manages specific assigned tasks such as property room management, records management, and other tasks as assigned.
• Investigates complex cases including cold case death investigations, homicides, child death investigations, skeletonized remains, unidentified remains, and mass casualty death investigations.

Other duties as assigned.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

(Representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities expected of the position)

• Public Service: A commitment to the mission of providing exceptional services to the citizens of Garfield County. It is who we are, and what we do.
• Customer Service: A commitment to providing exceptional service to all customers (internal & external), which includes being helpful, professional, courteous, and taking the time to understand customer’s needs.
• Stewardship & Innovation: Is a good steward of public resources and looks for ways to be innovative and improve efficiency.
• Teamwork: Able to work together with a diverse group of people towards a shared goal, while considering the needs of others.
• Business Technology: Ability to utilize the technology required of the position and demonstrates a willingness to learn new technologies as required to assist the County in providing exceptional services, innovation, and work efficiencies.
• Communication: Proficient in communication, and able to communicate using the English language, including written, verbal, or other communication channels as required by the position.
• Cognitive Flexibility: Can interpret a variety of instructions with abstract and/or complex variables.
• Medicolegal Expertise: Knowledge of methods, techniques, equipment, and practices for handling human remains, property, and evidence. Knowledge of techniques used in interviewing, investigation, and report writing. Understand methods and techniques of dealing with individuals involved in a death investigation, including but not limited to grieving family members, witnesses, and suspects of criminal death. Understands procedures necessary to prepare a body for autopsy and collection of evidence, along with equipment and supplies necessary to maintain the office, morgue facility, and coroner vehicles. Can conduct forensic photography.
• Integrity: Maintain a high level of confidentiality and professionalism while performing essential job functions.