Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement

The burden of dealing with tragedies associated with the day-to-day duties of police officers, coroners, and medicolegal death investigators, often remains unspoken and follows the officers into their off-duty and personal lives. Failure to recognize and provide an acceptable outlet for the disappointment and frustration felt by officers and investigators  at the end of their shifts can lead to:

• Alcohol and/or drug abuse
• Problems with personal relationships
• Self-rejection,
• Disillusionment and Depression
• Job loss
• Even suicide.

If asked what bothers them the most about their profession, many will offer concerns such as a lack of public respect, lack of manpower or equipment to do their job effectively, or a general frustration over the perceived ineffectiveness of the judicial system. Seldom will officers open their hearts to discuss the pain and frustration that stems from dealing with the injury, anguish, and distress suffered by the victims? Many officers are haunted by the effects of trying to resolve problems they encounter in their communities and with their victims only to find that the solution is beyond their control.

Officers do not discuss the sorrow they feel after having to notify loved ones about the loss of their spouse or child because of a vehicle collision. Nor do they discuss the tears that follow officers after having held an infant in their hands trying to breathe life back into the tiny body only to find that despite all of their training and practice their efforts are futile. Or the frustration of dealing with the children of a crack addict or an abusive parent who time after time evades the help of a system overburdened with cases that, left unresolved, ensure continued problems for generation after generation to come.

These unresolved and un-dealt with feelings will lead an officer or investigator to suffer a form of PTSD called ‘Secondary PTSD’ or compassion fatigue.

Suicide, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and many more emotional and stress-related problems plague the first-responder community. Hundreds of thousands of these brave public servants have unwittingly become victims of the professions they once loved. However, the suffering that results from a professional life of sacrifice and service can be prevented and mitigated.

Find Your Copy Here!

As a thirty-year law-enforcement veteran, retired police captain, and police academy instructor, Dan Willis has witnessed the damage of emotional trauma and has made it his personal mission to safeguard and enhance the wellness and wholeness of police officers, firefighters, EMTs, emergency-room personnel, and soldiers. Bulletproof Spirit offers field-tested expertise designed to be used by all first responders — and their families — to heal themselves and continue serving with compassion and strength.

If you want to be seen as a professional, you must present a professional image and attitude that will command respect.   You WILL NOT get the respect you need simply by your title. Respect is earned not granted.    

There has been a long history of perceived and actual unprofessionalism in the Coroner industry. This has spilled over into Medical Examiners office and police agencies as well.  But by and large many coroners struggle with being accepted as a professional.   Is it industry bias, or a reality of the image the coroner is projecting?

1. Need for written policy

•   All staff from top-down

•     Procedures for all to follow

•        Victim families

•        Property

•       Report deadlines

2. Attitude of cooperation

•    With co-workers

•    Other Agencies    Stop power pulls

•    Interactions with families        

3. Office Organization

•   Office area appearance
•   Filing

•    Reporting

•    Returning messages   Voice and Email

4. Dress code standards

•   At office/morgue

•    On scenes

•            Proper Dress    Proper Id on clothing

•     On duty and in public

•             This includes automobiles

•                   Is it marked

•                   Even Magnetic logos

•                   What type of vehicle

5. Training    

•       How trained are you    

•      Can you talk and understand the field

•      Your responsibility  to get it

•               This podcast

•               Reading

•               Courses   -  local Sheriff Office

•               ABMDI

•               Use your ME

In order to determine the direction of an investigation and to prioritize leads, if necessary, death investigators must establish the manner of a death: natural, accident, homicide or suicide. The most overlooked aspect of death investigation is the psychological dimension, which can provide unique leads, correct false assumptions, enhance investigative awareness, and solve cases in surprising ways.

In an estimated 10–20% of cases, the manner of death cannot be determined, or worse, has been erroneously categorized.

In this episode, I spoke to Dr. Katherin Ramsland about the Psychology of Death Investigations. Both from the investigators perspective as well as the decedent and victim.

In this episode, I talk with Forensic Pathologist Dr. Thomas Gilson of Cuyahoga County Ohio. We discuss the debate of Coroner v. Medical Examiner systems and what his thoughts and opinions are of the current status of death investigation in the United States.

We also talk about the need for quality training for Medicolegal Death Investigators. Cuyahoga County Ohio offers basic and advanced medicolegal death investigation training that is open to anyone needing or wanting training.

To see all the current courses and available course dates click on the training link. Training

See more at ditacademy.org 

For attorneys and other professionals, Plan B Forensics will provide a comprehensive picture of what happened to the victim. For families, we are you. We’ve been where you’ve been. The way we have processed our tragedies is to understand as much as possible what happened to our loved ones. We cannot change the outcome, we cannot undo what was done. But we are a collective voice for the victim and an advocate for the survivors. In memoriam. For closure, for peace. For all of us.

We put the whole story together for you to gain an accurate picture of how things went wrong and a life ended. We don’t guess, make assumptions or chase theories. We’re not on anyone’s side but the victim and truth. We start with the most important evidence and the best witness, the body. If a scenario does not match the injuries the victim sustained, then it’s wrong, so we start at the source and work our way out in an enlarging spiral.

Dr. Entwistle’s extensive background and training in trauma surgery make it likely that she's seen these injuries before a fatality occurred and understands the mechanism required both before and after death -- a more comprehensive picture than a pathologist can give you. She was the real deal, “lifey-deathy” surgeon, for military and civilians, and will review medical records with the precision required in the operating room. Her certification as a medicolegal death investigator enables her to evaluate not just postmortem injuries but the process by which the death investigation was done.

Ms. Turpen, a DNA Scientist and Evidence Analyst, will look at all the evidence collected and see avenues for further exploration.  

Are you a civilian crime writer who wants to use picture-perfect law enforcement details? Do you worry that your mystery novel or screenplay lacks credibility? Fiction and nonfiction author Sergeant Patrick O’Donnell has seen it all in his 24 years working for one of the largest police departments in the country. Now he’s here to help your writing honor the men and women who risk their lives in the line of duty.

Cops and Writers: From the Academy to the Street is your in-depth field guide for navigating the path from new recruit to seasoned patrol officer. Through O’Donnell’s accounts, you’ll get up close and personal with day-to-day challenges and out-of-the-ordinary emergencies including homicides, hostage situations, and bomb threats. Armed with this invaluable resource for decoding police jargon, tactics, and standard-issue gear, you’ll be well equipped to breathe new life into your stories.In Cops and Writers, you’ll discover: Stories from O’Donnell’s years on the force to help give your book credibility How the academy and field training shapes rookies so you can mold convincing characters Patrol officers' daily routines and working conditions to infuse your fiction with added depth Different techniques for arresting and defending against criminal threats to bring readers even closer to the action Different patrol units such as SWAT, K-9, Air Support, and Bomb Squad to add another layer of realism, and much, much more!

The term “burnout” is a relatively new term, first coined in 1974 by Herbert Freudenberger, in his book, Burnout: The High Cost of High Achievement. He originally defined burnout as, “the extinction of motivation or incentive, especially where one's devotion to a cause or relationship fails to produce the desired results.”

Burnout is a reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress and is characterized by three main dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism (less identification with the job), and feelings of reduced professional ability.

More simply put, if you feel exhausted, start to hate your job, and begin to feel less capable at work, you are showing signs of burnout.

While burnout isn’t a diagnosable psychological disorder, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken seriously.

Here are some of the most common signs of burnout:

• Alienation from work-related activities: Individuals experiencing burnout view their jobs as increasingly stressful and frustrating. They may grow cynical about their working conditions and the people they work with. They may also emotionally distance themselves and begin to feel numb about their work.
• Physical symptoms: Chronic stress may lead to physical symptoms, like headaches and stomachaches or intestinal issues.
• Emotional exhaustion: Burnout causes people to feel drained, unable to cope, and tired. They often lack energy to get their work done.
• Reduced performance: Burnout mainly affects everyday tasks at work—or in the home when someone's main job involves caring for family members. Individuals with burnout feel negative about tasks. They have difficulty concentrating and often lack creativity.

It shares some similar symptoms of mental health conditions, such as depression. Individuals with depression experience negative feelings and thoughts about all aspects of life, not just at work. Depression symptoms may also include a loss of interest in things, feelings of hopelessness, cognitive and physical symptoms as well as thoughts of suicide.

Individuals experiencing burnout may be at a higher risk of developing depression.

Read More at:  coronertalk.com

Tactical Reload offers a road map for police and MDI professionals eager to succeed as America transitions from unrest to a new age of social enlightenment.

Through honest personal stories and interviews with top police chiefs and thought leaders, Wilson thoroughly explores the present crisis of law enforcement and foreshadow a safer future.

• Embrace “Embarrassment School” as an important rite of passage
• Respect people who commit crimes as a humane strategy for building trust
• Reject Millennial entitlement and impatience or jeopardize rank promotions
• Win department and community accolades by behaving well in or out of uniform
• Discover why authentic cops don’t need to prove they are tough, but they had better heed mental fitness advice from a retired Navy Seal
• Learn how mandatory psychological tests for cops could remove the shame of vulnerability and decrease suicides
• Build character and improve advancement by blending new academic credentials with street smarts

Show Guest:

Adam Wilson is a highly decorated 14-year law enforcement veteran. He was recognized in 2018 by the National Association of Police Organizations that sponsors the annual TOP COP awards for his handling of a human trafficking investigation in North Carolina.

Sgt. Wilson has served as a SWAT senior operator and is trained to carry out specialized, military-style tactics in confrontations with violent criminals. He also collaborated with federal authorities in cases involving public corruption, sexual exploitation of minors and corrupt organizations. Concurrently, he served in a street crime unit that safeguarded against illegal guns, Gangs, and drugs.

Adam has received five commendations for outstanding service and is a two-time winner of an Exceptional Service award. He earned his master’s in Criminal Justice, is an E.A. Morris Fellow for Emerging Leaders in North Carolina and was appointed to the state Human Relations Commission by former Governor Pat McCrory.