I am running for the position of Coroner because I believe that qualified citizens should step up and publically serve others. After reviewing the situation of the Coroner’s Office over the past 3 years, I believe the office is in need of a qualified leader. I believe my qualifications, background, education and experience best qualifies me as that leader. I am committed as a citizen, husband, and father to making the Kane County Coroner’s Office the best it can be. I will retire from my current position and will make the reformation of this office my top priority. I believe only a full time office holder can reform this office. That is what I will be. As a current police officer, I understand that death is the most inconvenient thing there is, so I must be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This office can be so much better, and if elected, I will work very hard to bring respect and honor back to the office.
My top three priorities for the Coroner’s office are:
1) Re-establish positive relationships with all who have contact with the Coroner’s Office. I will do this by forming working partnerships with funeral homes, law enforcement and fire agencies, and advocacy groups. Additionally, it is important for the Coroner’s Office to treat victims and families with the utmost compassion and integrity. I want to reach out to our schools and communities through education and awareness programs.
2) Professionalize the Coroner’s Office through accreditation. This pro-active step will professionalize the office and ensure that the Kane County Coroner’s Office is utilizing the nation’s best practices. Accreditation will help to insulate the office from inappropriate behavior in the area of property control, because the procedures (and the consequences) will be clearly understood and outlined.
3) Update the morgue facilities by resource sharing with a local hospital. I have already begun talks with local hospitals and have received positive feedback on this issue. Additionally, I would also like to see the coroner’s office become a regional training center. This will be easier to do if the morgue is located in a medical facility.
The biggest difference between my opponent and me is that training does not equal experience. I have proven experience. I have been in law enforcement for 20 years. During my career, I have conducted numerous death investigations on scene. While I respect my opponent’s career choice in helping with the bio-hazard clean up death scenes, by Illinois Statute, the Coroner is a law enforcement position. And my resume most closely fits the coroner job description. I know how to secure a death/crime scene, I am well versed in police protocol, and I know the procedures for securing evidence and property. While I do have specific training related to being a lead medicolegal investigator, it is my 20 years of law enforcement experience that makes me the right person for the job. The coroner post will be my main focus, as I do not have an outside business that may interfere with my public duties or possibly cause a conflict of interest.
To improve the image of the office, I will honestly and earnestly re-establish the broken relationships that I mentioned above in Question 2. Secondly, I will professionalize the office by seeking national accreditation. The International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (www.theiacme.com) has established an accreditation program that is very affordable and professional. I encourage anyone to go to their website and review it.
The most important function of the Coroner’s Office is to investigate death. That is what the citizens of Kane County expect first and foremost, and is what Illinois Statute demands. Concurrently, the Coroner’s Office should also educate the public and serve the county’s citizens in a compassionate, efficient, and fiscally conservative way.
I believe I am the best candidate for Kane County Coroner because I am the only candidate that has proven experience with certified training. I believe that my resume best fits the job description of a Coroner as defined by the State of Illinois. I have investigated numerous death scenes in my 20 years of law enforcement, and I have extensive practical police experience. I come from a very disciplined background, in that, I played college athletics, served in the military, and have made a career out of law enforcement. Additionally, I earned my Master’s degree in Political and Justice Studies while working full time and taking 7 years of night classes. My experience, leadership and discipline are what the Coroner’s Office needs right now. I am ready to take this challenge head-on and I am committed to making the Kane County Coroner’s Office the best in the state. I would appreciate your support! Check out my website at www.russell4coroner.com and like my Facebook page “Rob Russell for 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!
•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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
