Training and instruction

  1. Law
  2. Arkansas Code
  3. Local Government
  4. County Government
  5. Officers
  6. County Coroners
  7. Training and instruction

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  1. (a) The Division of Law Enforcement Standards and Training, in coordination with the Department of Health, shall establish a training curriculum for medicolegal death investigators, coroners, and deputy coroners in Arkansas that consists of no less than sixteen (16) hours nor more than forty (40) hours of instruction, including without limitation courses on:

    1. (1) Medicolegal death investigation leading to certification as a medicolegal death investigator;

    2. (2) Scene investigation;

    3. (3) Body recovery;

    4. (4) Safety;

    5. (5) Statutes and rules;

    6. (6) Documentation and reporting;

    7. (7) Communication and interviewing; and

    8. (8) Proper completion of a death certificate and assignment of cause of death.

  2. (b) The division shall:

    1. (1) Issue a certificate of satisfactory participation and completion to a coroner, deputy coroner, or medicolegal death investigator who completes the instructional program required under subsection (a) of this section; and

    2. (2)

      1. (A) Administer the funds for the payment and reimbursement for materials, speakers, mileage, lodging, meals, the cost of the certificate, and training equipment that are in addition to compensation allowed under §§ 14-14-1203, 14-14-1204, and 14-14-1206.

      2. (B) The division may receive funding for coroner training through grants-in-aid, donations, and the County Coroners Continuing Education Fund.

  3. (c) The commission shall provide death investigation training:

    1. (1) Free of charge to a law enforcement officer, a state death investigator, and an employee of the State Crime Laboratory; and

    2. (2) For a fee under a memorandum of understanding between the commission and the Arkansas Coroner's Association to coroners and deputy coroners.

  4. (d)

    1. (1)

      1. (A) Within one (1) year of beginning employment as a deputy coroner, a person employed as a deputy coroner after January 1, 2020, shall complete the training required under this section and obtain a certificate under subdivision (b)(1) of this section or present a certificate from the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.

      2. (B) A deputy coroner under subdivision (d)(1)(A) of this section who does not comply with this subsection shall not continue employment or activity as a deputy coroner, including without limitation signing death certificates or assisting in death investigations.

    2. (2) Within one (1) year of the date of employment of a deputy coroner, the coroner shall provide the county judge with the deputy coroner's:

      1. (A) Name;

      2. (B) Address;

      3. (C) Starting date of employment; and

      4. (D) Copy of the certificate under subdivision (d)(1)(A) of this section.


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