Government
BY JESSICA SHORTEN
Medical examiner’s oce nalized
Explaining the role
Medical examiner’s oce sta will be able to assist and take over a number of tasks previously delegated to justices of the peace such as responding to death investigations and assisting families through the investigation process, Dr. Pinneri said. Montgomery County rst launched its forensic services department in 2011; however, the county built a $13 million, 22,000-square-foot forensic center in Conroe in 2022 to keep up with the growing number of death investigations and pathology requests. Texas has a population-based requirement for counties to have a medical examiner’s oce, which increased from 1 million to 2.5 million residents in 2023. However, a county is able to set up the oce at any point before reaching the population requirement.
Montgomery County commissioners nalized the creation of the county’s rst medical examiner’s oce Nov. 19, allowing for the transition of sta and resources from the county’s forensic services department. Dr. Kathryn Pinneri, director of forensic services for the county, presented the need for a medical examiner’s oce during budget workshops in August. Commissioners voted to move forward on the steps to create the oce on Aug, 14 through its $3.2 million budget, which required funding a number of positions including: • Two death investigators • One part-time forensic pathologist • Changing the administrative manager to a forensic operations manager Dr. Pinneri said she believes the transition is a long time coming. The newly created department will remain in the county’s forensic
Forensic duties increase since 2017 Deaths reported Autopsy examinations
2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0
SOURCE: MONTGOMERY COUNTY FORENSIC CENTERCOMMUNITY IMPACT
service facility, and sta will begin shifting duties immediately. “We are ready, this has been long overdue,” she said.
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