Dear Editor,

I am privileged to have engaged with the community during my recent campaign, ranging from community fish fries to pancake breakfasts. Serving as your current county coroner has been an honor, and I am committed to continuing in this capacity while bringing compassion, experience and professionalism to the office.

We have made significant improvements to enhance our service to the community and ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayers’ funds. Alongside Chief Deputy Coroner Paul Schmitt, I spearheaded transformative initiatives aimed at modernizing our office and optimizing operational efficiency.

Our primary focus has been on revamping our office procedures to align with modern standards and improve service to the county. Collaborating closely with our team, we swiftly implemented new policies and procedures, including the mandatory electronic documentation of all cases within our case management system to address historical challenges with incomplete cases and paperwork.

Furthermore, through strategic partnerships with the Indiana State Health Department, we successfully secured grants to help our deputies’ capabilities in investigating scenes effectively. We have also cultivated strong relationships with various law enforcement and emergency response agencies, including the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office, Indiana Department of Child Services, Warsaw Police Department and others, to foster seamless collaboration and faster resource sharing.

In addition to these efforts, we have actively engaged with the community by participating in educational events to raise awareness about the functions and responsibilities of the coroner’s office and to help raise awareness for preventable deaths such as overdoses and suicides. Leveraging social media platforms, we have also increased public awareness of our office and highlight the impact of the drug epidemic on our community. We created an overdose awareness sign at the office to show the impacts of these preventable deaths.

Most notably, we have recently established the county’s first Suicide & Overdose Fatality Review Team in Kosciusko County. This innovative initiative will bring multiple professionals to review cases, identify risk factors and recommend evidence-based policies and programs to prevent future suicide and overdose deaths. By incorporating community perspectives, this program aims to generate informed recommendations to address these pressing public health challenges.

In conclusion, I am proud of the progress we have made in advancing the capabilities and outreach of the coroner’s office. With your continued support, I am confident that we will further enhance our services and contribute to the well-being of our community.

Tyler Huffer
Kosciusko County Coroner