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lab to provide better service to the public and the law enforcement community.


speedier resolution of cases and a more timely release of official results and death certificates. In short, coroner training allows the crime


Coroner training will improve the overall quality of death investigations. In turn, for those coroners’ cases which are referred to the crime lab, better investigations translate into


— Ronnie Schwin, Chief Forensic Investigator Arkansas State Crime Lab


Coroner training critical in death scene investigations Proponents for coroner training say if training can be provided


By Scott Perkins County Lines Editor


Unfortunately rigor has set in coroner training; it’s way more than just declaring death


could have a positive impact on this situation. Slinkard will file a continuing education bill concerning county officials soon. Unfortunately, coroner training and education is not offered in the state and several other factors help build the disconnect. “Coroner training for the state of Arkansas, I’m afraid, has fallen behind due to the fast-paced field of death scene investigation over the past decade,” said Leonard Krout, Arkansas Coroners’ Associa- tion president and Pope County Coroner. Te majority of Arkansas coroners have full-time jobs and serve in the coroner capacity as needed. Krout said most coroners receive minimal payment and would have to travel to another state on their vacation time and pay for the cost to attend any training in their field. Tis fact has helped keep death scene investigation for the resi- dents of Arkansas in a state of rigor. “It is no longer acceptable to have a death investigation system


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where the officials responsible for investigating and certifying deaths are not adequately trained,” said Ronnie Schwin, D-ABMDI, chief forensic investigator with the Arkansas State Crime Lab. “Lack of training adversely affects families, public health, and the law enforce- ment system.”


rkansans deserve county coroners who can efficiently bridge the gap from the field to the state crime Lab and ensure residents a high level of death scene investigation. And legislation sponsored by Mary Lou Slinkard


reasonably close to coroner’s home counties, more coroners may receive the education necessary to improve their performance. Schwin says some of this valuable training can be provided by state crime lab personnel. “Arkansas is fortunate to have dedicated coroners and deputy


coroners who are sometimes tasked with investigating deaths and certifying the cause and manner of death. Tis is not an easy process and is a job function that is not well understood,” said Schwin, who has more than five years of experience as a medicolegal death investigator. “Te average person may not think about the role of the county coroner until tragedy strikes their family. When this occurs, they want the best death investigation possible to answer questions and help comfort them.” Coroners are statutorily required to respond to certain types of death. One of the most important decisions coroners have to make is whether or not to send a body to the state crime lab. “Poor decision making at this level can result in cases not being submitted or cases being submitted to the medical examiner when they should be handled by the coroner,” said Schwin, who also has 20 years of law enforcement experience. “Better training results in more appropriate case submittal to the medical examiner’s office.” Schwin said better training would also ensure that cases are ac- companied by appropriate investigative information which would re- duce the need for the medical examiner staff to spend time gathering this information themselves, which in turn improves the efficiency of the medical examiner’s office.


“Coroner Training” Continued Page 58 >>> COUNTY LINES, WINTER 2013


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