Job Description
Duties and Requirements Click to read more
Duties
- Responds to death scenes;
- Investigates the cause and manner of death in cases of unattended natural death, accident, suicide, or homicide;
- Conducts interviews with family members, law enforcement personnel, medical professionals and others regarding circumstances of death;
- Determines what scenes to investigate and what evidence to examine and/or collect;
- Examines and photographs crime scenes;
- Conducts an external examination of body and document findings;
- Collects, submits, retrieves, and documents pathological, toxicological/histological specimens;
- Removes deceased body from the death scene and transports to designated location;
- Documents transfer of body and property;
- Obtains or coordinates positive identification of bodies through visual personal identification affidavit, x-ray, dental records, descriptive evidence, and fingerprint records;
- Files paperwork internally and to the Arizona Office of Vital Records, to include certified death certificates;
- Prepares and maintains records and reports, including unidentified decedent data;
- Collects, inventories, and preserves all evidentiary materials and personal effects of the deceased;
- Maintains logs for cremation death certificates and removals;
- May assist the Pathologist or Medical Examiner with the evaluation and postmortem examination;
- Maintains sanitary conditions of the facility, equipment and instruments and properly disposes biological and biohazardous materials;
- Performs routine clerical duties, such as, filing, answering phones and working with a variety of office and technical equipment;
- Comply with all HIPAA regulations and related policies and regulations;
- Maintains regular and reliable attendance;
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Requirements
Experience and Education
- Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice, forensic science, medicine/health care, or related field -AND- one (1) year of investigative experience;
- OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
- May be required to successfully complete a background check, polygraph examination, and drug test prior to appointment;
- Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.
Knowledge of:
- Yuma County and Sheriff's Office Policies and Procedures;
- Federal and state laws pertaining to forensic operations/activities;
- Human anatomy and medical terminology, forensic investigative methods and laws in criminology;
- Law enforcement principles, practices, methods, techniques and equipment;
- Practices and procedures of evidence collection, including specimen and tissue retrieval;
- Geography, roads, and streets of Yuma County.
Skills in:
- Applying forensic principles, and determining cause and manner of death;
- Collecting, processing, and preserving death scene evidence;
- Packaging and organizing property and evidence in an orderly fashion for storage and retrieval;
- Use of autopsy/forensic, safety, and personal protective equipment;
- Safety handling and disposal of biological and biohazardous materials;
- Preparing complete and accurate reports and records;
- Dealing impartially with people of different social economic, and ethnic backgrounds;
- Operating computerized technology and job-related software applications.
Ability to:
- Read, learn, understand, apply and follow rules, regulations, instructions and forensic practices and procedures;
- Exercise initiative and independent judgment in selecting proper field forensic techniques;
- Obtain and analyze information/factors regarding a death and to determine cause/manner of death;
- Plan, organize and prioritize multiple investigations;
- Follow written and verbal instructions;
- Communicate effectively verbally and in writing;
- Establish and maintain effective working relationship with supervisors, employees, other agencies, and the public, including law enforcement and physicians;
- Perform the essential functions of the job specifications with or without reasonable accommodation.
WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- Work is performed in general office environment, in the field at death scenes, and in a laboratory/morgue setting;
- Work a variety of scheduled shifts, irregular hours, and/or on-call status, as necessary;
- May work non-standard hours, to include shift work, holidays, and weekends;
- Exposure to dirt, dust, pollen, inclement weather, temperature extremes, body fluids, communicable diseases;
- Hazardous materials/chemical, various evidence, and unpleasant odors;
- Exposure to remote and isolate areas when examining a scene;
- Climb rocks and other uneven terrains to access a scene;
- Walk, stand and sit for long period of time;
- Crawl, kneel, bend, stoop, twist, crouch, and reach to gather evidence during an investigation;
- Move, lift, carry, drag, push and/or pull objects weighing up to 100 pounds;
- Prolong periods of attention to detail information;
- Visual and muscular dexterity to operate: a motor vehicle, computer equipment, and two-way radio;
- Utilize two-way radio to hear and respond to: radio communications, voice instructions, and/or commands;
- Operate a motor vehicle and travel to/from various locations.
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Job Tags
Work at office, Remote work, Shift work, Weekend work