Medical Examiner Death Investigator

Duties and Requirements Click to read more

Duties

Duties and Responsibilities
Note: The following duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position. Depending on assigned area of responsibility, incumbents in the position may perform one or more of the activities described below.

• Receives and investigates initial reports of death from law enforcement personnel, health care providers, funeral homes and other agencies and determines whether a death falls under the Medical Examiner's statutory jurisdiction.
• Responds to and investigates deaths at scenes with challenging accessibility.
• Reads and extracts information from police reports, paramedic reports, medical records and other related documents to develop a fact-basis upon which Medical Examiners can base opinions concerning cause and manner of death.
• Explains state statutes requiring involving medical examiner involvement and jurisdiction to next-of-kin.
• Conducts investigations at the scene of death by collecting trace evidence in cooperation with law enforcement; examining the body for wounds, rigor mortis and lividity; interviewing witnesses and next-of-kin; collecting medications; taking photographs; and providing an organized oral briefing and written summary.
• Prepares and provides cogent investigative reports summarizing medical and social history, terminal circumstances, next-of-kin data and results of inquiries to provide a clear and understandable summary of the investigation.
• Performs field and administrative investigative duties to arrange final disposition of unclaimed bodies as required by statute.
• Prepares death certificates to comply with statutes requiring medical certifications of cause and manner of death.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Requirements

Job Specifications
To be acquired during the training period:

• Knowledge of modern principles, practices, instruments and methods used in the collection and preservation of death scene and post-mortem evidence and the establishment of chain of custody.
• Knowledge of medical terminology, toxicology, ballistics and the interpretation of medical records related to determining cause of death.
• Knowledge of the policies and procedures related to receiving, identifying, storing and releasing bodies.
• Knowledge of statutes and departmental guidelines related to jurisdiction of Medical Examiner.
• Knowledge of state and federal statutes related to medicolegal death investigations.
• Knowledge of statutory requirements for the preparation and issuance of death certificates.
• Skill in the use of photographic equipment.
• Ability to respond to and investigate deaths at scenes with challenging accessibility.
• Ability to collect, organize and analyze data and make logical conclusions.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing and to use a computer and related software.
• Ability to deal tactfully with people concerning sensitive information.

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds
• May require some pushing, pulling, bending, and stooping.
• Requires standing for long periods of time.
• Must be able to handle strong sights and smells.

Work Category

• Medium work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.

Minimum Qualifications Required

• Graduation from high school or possession of a GED certificate; -AND-
• Six months of experience investigating crimes, accidents, or deaths; -AND-
• Possession of a valid Florida Driver's License; -AND-
• Employee must obtain American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) Certificate within 2 years of employment. Failure to achieve AMBDI certification will result in termination.

Emergency Management Responsibilities

• In the event of an emergency or disaster, an employee may be required to respond promptly to duties and responsibilities as assigned by the employee’s department, the County’s Office of Emergency Management, or County Administration. Such assignments may be for before, during or after the emergency/disaster.

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