Nature of Work

Conduct investigations of reported deaths to determine proper classification of deaths under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) through staffing of the Forensic Investigations Unit (FIU) 24/7/365.

Under the direction of the Chief Investigator, you will supervise, assist, and coordinate the actions of County Medical Examiner(s) (CoME) in the conduct of death scene investigations through direct communication with:

Law enforcement and 911 centers
First responders
Funeral homes and decedent transport vendors
Hospitals, nursing homes, hospice houses, and VA medical centers
All fifty-five (55) counties in West Virginia

Case Management & Documentation

Initiate cases in the case management database, gathering all pertinent information available to include, but not limited to:

Circumstances surrounding the death and decedent identification
Medical, law enforcement, and first responder records
Social service agency records (CPS, APS, etc.)
Legal next of kin information
Scene evidence and personal effects

Objective: Author a preliminary narrative to properly classify the case and provide forensic pathologist(s) with background information prior to the performance of autopsy.

Operational Duties

Logistics: Receive and release decedents and their personal property at/from the OCME facility from/to authorized funeral homes and decedent transport vendors 24/7/365.
Compliance: Ensure that all required chain of custody procedures are followed.
Coordination: Conduct consultation with the forensic pathologists in the performance of case triage and instruct the CoME how to proceed with the requirements obtained for each particular case.

Minimum Qualifications:

Training: Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

Substitution: Experience as described below may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required training.

Experience: Two (2) years of full-time or equivalent part-time paid experience in law enforcement or investigative work.

Special Requirements: Possession of a valid driver's license and the availability of an automobile is required. Qualification to possess and use firearms may be required.

West Virginia Department of Health

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