Background And Responsibilities
BACKGROUND:
I began serving bereaved families in 1969 as a funeral director and embalmer. After working several years in the funeral profession, I then worked at Sherman and St. Joseph Hospitals in Elgin as a diener, responsible for doing the dissection work at autopsies, under the direction of several different pathologists. I assisted in well over 1,000 cases. In 1980 I was appointed Chief Deputy Coroner for McHenry County. I ran for Coroner in 1988 and was elected and have been reelected ever since. As Coroner I have attended the basic training courses and the yearly continuing education sessions mandated by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board. I continue to maintain my funeral director’s and embalmer’s licenses. I have also participated in numerous forensic seminars and training sessions which are critical to the performance of my duties. I, and members of my staff, have completed the basic NIMS training and testing and are continuing to work toward completion of all its mandatory levels. I have worked on many death investigations as well as those involving major cases. I am very proud of the great working relationship my office has established with law enforcement, rescue and fire personnel, physicians and funeral directors around the county. This is very important because no one person can do it all and we must be able to work as a team to get the job done.
1980 TO THE PRESENT:
When I started with the Coroner’s Office we were doing approximately 500 investigations a year and I was responsible for working 350+ of them. We are now doing over 1100 cases and with the increased load we have added deputies to the staff to insure that the citizens of our county are receiving the best possible service. We have also upgraded our physical plant. Prior to 2004 we were not handicap accessible. It was almost impossible to serve loved ones and family members who required the use of walkers or wheelchairs because they had great difficulty entering our old office. Our entire facility is now handicap accessible.
Also in the past, work spaces were part of the general office area, making compliance with HIPPA and the rules of confidentiality nearly impossible to maintain. Now work areas are separate from the public waiting area. Deputies may meet with family members in either their own office or in one of the two conference areas we have available. We are also able to host training sessions in these areas and, should we decide an Inquest needs to be held, we can also do that here in the office. We have a morgue on premises making it easily accessible for us and also for all other departments we work with. It is also more convenient for the families we serve because they do not have to travel to a different facility to view their loved ones. Our viewing area is adjacent to the morgue and is in a relaxed setting for the families. Because the morgue is on our own premises and secure, we do not have to worry about Chain of Custody issues. If it was located at an off site area we would have to provide a 24 hour police guard to secure the remains until the autopsy and other procedures were completed. My office is composed of a staff of seven; two part time secretaries who each work 2 ½ days a week, four full time deputies and me. In addition to my administrative duties, I cover sick, personal and vacation days for my staff, and I respond as needed when multiple calls occur at the same time.
We have four different Pathologists we can call when we need to have an autopsy done, three of them are Board Certified Forensic. They are not members of our staff, but are private contractors who do work for several different Coroners’ offices in the northern Illinois area. When an autopsy is needed, me, or a member of my staff is present. This serves a two fold purpose. First to assist the pathologist, and secondly to learn first hand exactly what the procedure showed so we can give this information to the families and when necessary to the various law enforcement groups we work with.
RESPONSIBILITIES & PUBLIC SERVICE:
We are not only charged by law to determine the cause and manner of death, but also need to be proactive and try to prevent deaths. My office is one of a few coroners’ offices in the State, who volunteered to participate in a new study begun last year to help prevent abuse in nursing homes. We work closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health following their guidelines in reporting cases to insure that patients get the best care.
For the last 27 years, I have also lectured at local schools about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse and the importance of seat belt use. I realize it is the law that we don’t drink and drive and are supposed to “buckle up”, but sometimes young people, as well as adults, need to be reminded. We also team with fire and police departments around the county by participating in crash reenactments before prom weekends. I have also lectured at several out of town/state colleges and universities sharing with the students my experiences in the forensic field. Surprisingly, some of these college students became interested in the field of forensics when I first spoke with them as high school students. Some also recall the story I tell of what it is like when I have to make a death notification. It makes an impression on them and many have told me they found my presentations very thought provoking and helpful. I do not accept payment for any of these talks. Sometimes my costs are covered, if not, it has been at my expense. If a stipend is given I donate it to charity. I have also given talks to the Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary Clubs as well as other service organizations around the County. Presenting these programs is a way to give back to the community.