COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO – On January 10, 2024, Kootenai County distributed a press release notifying the public that the coroner’s office had received accreditation from the International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IACME).
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, there are 2,040 medical examiner and
coroner offices in the US, of which only about 45 have received accreditation. This places the Kootenai County Coroner’s Office in the top echelon nationally for operating policies, procedures, and practices within international guidelines.
The coroner’s office was subjected to 288 standards and achieved 100 percent compliance of
mandatory standards and at least 90 percent of all others. The normal time needed for a
coroner office to achieve accreditation has been eighteen months, although Kootenai County qualified in approximately eight months.
The county’s Coroner Dr. Duke Johnson provided the following statement, “We are excited to qualify for this prestigious recognition, not only, because it provides verification of the high standard of excellence our office provides to the community, but also, because it allows our office to apply for grants to improve our facilities which would otherwise not available so we can make these improvements without encumbering the citizens of Kootenai County with
significant tax burdens.”
The IACME extended their compliments to Kootenai County for submitting to this level
of review, “When an agency elects to subject themselves to this process, it clearly
indicates their desire to stand to peer review and demonstrate to the public and
stakeholders a strong desire to provide excellence in service provision. The IACME
congratulates the Kootenai County Coroner’s Office and Coroner Dr. Duke Johnson, for
their diligence in complying with these standards, leading the way in service and
compassion for those they serve and their community. ”
The accreditation certificate will be presented to the county at the IACME annual
training conference during the week of July 21-25, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
