Tao Martinez

On the Record

Why are you running for the position of Kane County coroner?

The families of Kane County should be treated with integrity, dignity, and respect. Based on the historical events of this office, the relationship with the community has been damaged. The trust has been severed and families should not have to carry this concern in the event of the tragic loss of a loved one. This office needs to be the shoulder to lean on during their grieving process. By networking with Coroners in Illinois and surrounding states, many have become my mentors, displaying the qualities it takes to run an office in a professional manner. I have learned in my years of experience working with the bereaved, everyone that passes has those who will miss and grieve for them. My intention as Coroner is not to be confined behind a desk. The Coroner’s responsibilities stretch far beyond issuing death certificates, it’s also about being a leader and actively raise community awareness toward programs that promote safety, health, education, and life skills. No parent should ever have to bury their child as a result of a suicide, drug overdose, or an act of violence, by working together, we can help reduce the number of lost lives!

What would your top three priorities be as coroner?

•Bringing back integrity and restoring trust to the Coroner’s office. Providing compassionate and professional attention to the citizens of Kane County. People should rely on the coroner’s office during their most vulnerable times without concern of the office’s integrity. Compassion is essential to this office and is something that is carried within. •Streamline, administer, and scrutinize the budget in an efficient manner for today’s times. Today’s economy is challenging for everyone, including all administrative budgets. Adjustments may need to be made to meet current needs. •As an elected official, not only is there an obligation to the office, but an obligation to the community. Make a consistent effort to reduce the number of deaths by actively networking with agencies to effectively promote awareness and resources to the citizens of Kane County should be a Coroner’s duty.

How would you differentiate yourself from your opponent?

My opponent has a background that consists of working in three divisions, Patrol, Court Security, and currently a Correctional Officer. None of these three divisions are directly related to ongoing Medicolegal Death Investigations. My background consists of Administrative Leadership Skills, Medicolegal Death Investigation Certifications (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Missouri), Forensic Background, and most important I posses the ability to interact with families during their toughest times in a compassionate and sympathetic manner which are the essential pillars of an aspiring Coroner. I have attended 30+ Coroner, Medical Examiner, Forensics, Disaster Management, Bioterrorism, and Crime Scene Investigator Conferences and have obtained training in Property and Evidence Management, Blood Stain and Spatter Analysis, and Forensic Identification. I have been a speaker for continuing education for Coroners and Law Enforcement at the following conferences: Illinois Coroner and Medical Examiner’s Association Conference (2011) Illinois Association of Property and Evidence Managers (2012) Kentucky Coroner’s Association (2012) There is no academy to train one to become a Coroner. I believe my deep-rooted desire to help others, experience, honesty, strong beliefs, and family values differentiate me from my opponent.

Considering the issues that the coroner’s office has dealt with in recent years, what would you do to improve the image of the office?

The reputation of the Coroner’s office has been tarnished and it will take a lot of hard work to re-establish trust. The only way to start the healing process and repairing the image of this office is by establishing and enforcing a policy and procedural manual for all employees. It is imperative to conduct an initial evaluation of all staff members based on individual performances and conduct a detailed assessment of the internal operations of the working office in evidence processing and management. A top priority would be to develop strict guidelines to maintain the integrity of evidence collected at each scene by incorporating a proper chain of custody. As a team, improving the public image begins with building working relationships with various agencies, and focusing on raising community awareness toward programs that promote safety, health, education, and life skills. Together we can work toward reducing the number of lost lives. I have learned as an emergency responder myself, that we are a team and we should be able to rely on each other to perform as one, so we can better serve those in need!

In your opinion, what is the most important function of the coroner’s office?

The Coroner’s role as an administrator is vital to the community as it provides answers to law enforcement and those affected by the death of a loved one. The primary function of the Coroner’s office is to accurately determine the cause and manner of death of the decedent, by ensuring that the proper steps and procedures are taken and the family has been treated with integrity, dignity, and respect.

Why are you the best candidate for this position?

Just as this office should not be seen as a Republican or a Democrat position, the goal should be finding the right person to take care of our families. One cannot make any distinctions between Ethnicity, Religious views, or Political affiliation! Everyone deserves to be treated with Integrity, Dignity, and Respect. There is no Republican or Democrat way to run the Coroner’s office, only the Professional Way. My current day to day operations include working with Coroners, Law Enforcement, and families in crisis on an emergency response basis 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. My interactions with Federal, State, and County agencies, have taught me ways to obtain additional funding without relying exclusively on county funds. Through my Administrative Leadership Skills, Medicolegal Death Investigation Certifications in multiple states, and on-going training, I have raised the respect and recognition among Coroners and Law Enforcement personnel, who have requested my knowledge to educate them in particular areas of this field. It takes a combination of several different qualities to perform the duties of a Coroner. I believe I possess all of the key elements and plan on incorporating them to represent the citizens of Kane County as its Coroner!