Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023) › Title 14 - LOCAL GOVERNMENT (§§ 14-1-101 — 14-387-706) › Subtitle 2 - COUNTY GOVERNMENT (§§ 14-14-101 — 14-28-103) › Chapter 15 - OFFICERS (§§ 14-15-101 — 14-15-1106) › Subchapter 3 - COUNTY CORONERS (§§ 14-15-301 — 14-15-309) › Section 14-15-308 - Training and instruction - Eligibility of deputy coroner

(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)
Medicolegal death investigation leading to certification as a medicolegal death investigator;
(2)
Scene investigation;
(3)
Body recovery;
(4)
Safety;
(5)
Statutes and rules;
(6)
Documentation and reporting;
(7)
Communication and interviewing; and
(8)
Proper completion of a death certificate and assignment of cause of death.
(b)
The division shall:
(1)
Issue a certificate of satisfactory participation and completion to a coroner, deputy coroner, or medicolegal death investigator who completes an instructional program required under subsection (a) of this section; and
(2)
(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
.
(B)
The division may receive funding for coroner training through grants-in-aid, donations, and the County Coroners Continuing Education Fund.
(c)
The division:
(1)
Shall provide death investigation training:
(A)
Free of charge to a law enforcement officer, a state death investigator, and an employee of the State Crime Laboratory; and
(B)
For a fee under a memorandum of understanding between the division and the Arkansas Coroner's Association, Inc. to coroners and deputy coroners; and
(2)
May provide death investigation training remotely through an online program.
(d)
(1)
(A)
Within one (1) year of beginning employment as a deputy coroner, a person employed as a deputy coroner after January 1, 2021, shall complete:
(i)
The training required under this section and obtain a certificate under subdivision (b)(1) of this section; or
(ii)
A training course in medicolegal death investigation that meets the educational requirements of the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigations and present a certificate in medicolegal death investigation from an agency approved by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators.
(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)
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:
(A)
Name;
(B)
Address;
(C)
Starting date of employment; and
(D)
Copy of the certificate under subdivision (d)(1)(A) of this section.
(e)
A person is not eligible to be a deputy coroner if the person has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or has been found guilty of a felony even if the felony conviction has been sealed, expunged, or pardoned.
Amended by Act 2023, No. 33,§ 2, eff. 8/1/2023.
Amended by Act 2021, No. 60,§ 1, eff. 2/4/2021.
Amended by Act 2019, No. 238,§ 1, eff. 7/24/2019.
Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 5924, eff. 7/1/2019.
Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 5923, eff. 7/1/2019.
Amended by Act 2019, No. 910,§ 5922, eff. 7/1/2019.
Added by Act 2013, No. 551,§ 5, eff. 8/16/2013.
See Act 2019, No. 238, § 2.