Editor, Times-Union: The recent announcement and statements made by Mr. Saint in the Times-Union, dated Feb. 29, 2012, with reference to the Kosciusko County Coroner’s Office is to us inaccurate and quite disturbing.
In the Coroner’s Office, we have worked diligently in cooperating with various agencies throughout the county by providing and participating in training, workshops and seminars. We continually work with EMS, law enforcement, hospitals and other agencies when conducting our investigations. Furthermore, to stay up to date with regulations and the latest technology, we have both served as president of the Indiana State Coroner’s Association and remain proactive in our continuing education and maintaining our state certifications. In addition, we have both been named Coroner of the Year by the State of Indiana.
Perhaps most disturbing is the statement made by Mr. Saint that we treat the “dead” as just “another person or body.” This is not only grossly offensive, but is viewed as a personal attack on the Coroner’s Office as a whole. Our investigators dedicate their lives, 24 hours a day, to serving the citizens of Kosciusko County. Every family, regardless of the situation surrounding the loss of a loved one, is treated with the utmost dignity and respect.
The citizens of Kosciusko County, in the upcoming May primary election, will have the opportunity to select a new coroner. We encourage the citizens to choose someone of the highest integrity with experience and dedication that will continue the tradition of providing the utmost in professionalism that we have provided the past 24 years. In our opinion, Mr. Saint does not meet any of the professional qualifications to adequately administer the office and serve the citizens of Kosciusko County.
John Sadler, C.D.I., Kosciusko County Coroner Larry Ladd, C.D.I., Chief Investigator and former Kosciousko County Coroner
