Why is experience important for this position, in particular for the people of Ada County?

It is the Ada County Coroner’s duty to determine cause and manner of death. Was the death natural or an accident? Was it a suicide or homicide? What caused the death? What are the events, diseases and/or trauma that resulted in the death of the individual? And what were the circumstances of the death?

Complete, accurate, and competent death investigations are imperative for families within our community.  Families of decedents need the reassurance of experience and consistency of accuracy pertaining to the death of their loved ones when settling estates, filing life insurance claims, and seeking medical care based on our recommendations after forensic investigations.  Public health and safety are also affected.  Without actual qualifications and experience, public health risks increase. The position of Coroner is not a position that can be “figured out as you go”.

The Ada County Coroner’s office aids the community in multiple ways. Aiding in finding closure while expressing compassion, respecting their loss, and valuing the life they lost. The lives of individuals within our great community are affected on a daily basis by the loss of a loved one and it is essential that for you, your Coroner is experienced when determining cause and manner of death.

Experience is REQUIRED to maintain accreditations for the Ada County Coroner’s office.

Dotti’s Career Experience

Prior to my time as Ada County Coroner, I was the Forensic Supervisor and a Medicolegal Death Investigator at the Ada County Coroner’s Office. I started my medicolegal death investigation journey while attending college almost 12 years ago.  I hold a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice (Administration and Criminology) and am currently moving forward with obtaining my PHD in Public Policy and Administrations. My education is crucial for understanding best practices, chain of custody and jurisprudence, policies/procedures and helping to change legislation, education, and being in the forefront of national committees.

I have personally investigated and reviewed thousands of scenes ranging from suicides to homicides, child deaths to hospices, each and every one equally as important as the other. In 2011 I obtained my American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigations (AMBDI) certification and am a registered diplomat. I am Board Certified eligible for the ABMDI Fellowship, which I will be testing and obtaining within the next few months. This certification requires 4,000 hours of medicolegal death investigation, demonstrating my experience in the field.

I have extensive knowledge in all divisions of the office and have led the Ada County Coroner’s Office to becoming the third Coroner’s jurisdiction in the nation, obtaining the prestigious accreditations through National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IAC&ME) and have also successfully trained my investigations team effectively so that they have obtained the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigator (ABMDI) certification.

 I hold all the necessary experience and qualifications to continue to move the Ada County Coroner’s Office forward, not only within the state of Idaho, but the nation as well.

Dotti’s Investigation Certification/ Training

American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS)                                                                             

Fentalogs: Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Illicit Fentanyl and Emerging Opioids – 2018

Ohio’s Assertive Approach to Scheduling Opioids and Fentanyl Analogs – 2018

The Making of an Opioid Crisis in America – 2018

National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)                                                  

Full Accreditation – Boise, Idaho – 2017

Idaho State Association of County Coroners (ISACC)                                                          

Pharmaceutical Training – Boise, Idaho – 2017

Mass Fatality and Forest Service – Idaho City – 2015

FBI Mass Fatality School Shooting Exercise – 2015

Child Pattern Injury Investigation, Abuse and Torture Certificate – Boise, Idaho – 2010

Investigation of Suspicious Burn Injuries and Torture – 2010

Annual Training’s and Certifications, 2009-Present

International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IAC&ME)

Advanced Medicolegal Death Investigation and Forensics Certification – Las Vegas, Nevada – 2015,2016 & 2018

Accreditation for the Ada County Coroner’s Office – Boise, Idaho – 2016

Saint Louis University School of Medicine-American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI)

Registered Medicolegal Death Investigator – Registry #1744 – 2011 Diplomat

ABMDI Masters  Medicolegal Death Investigator Training Certificate – 2017

Masters 17 for Advanced Death Investigators Conference – 2017

ABMDI Medicolegal Death Investigator Training Certificate (Basic) – 2010

Public Agency Training Council

SUDI/Infant Death Homicide – 2015

Mass Fatality Preparedness

Boise Airport Mass Fatality Training (State) – 2016

Multi-Agency

Earthquake Tabletop – Gowen Field – 2015

Criminal Justice Information System Security and Awareness Training

Level 1 CJIS Security Training – 2016

Society of Medicolegal Death Investigators (SOMDI)

From the Field: Case Presentations – 2016

University of West Virginia

Death Investigation and Fire Certificate – 2015

Blood Spatter Certificate – 2014

Crime Scene Investigation Certificate – 2014

Shooting Reconstruction Certificate – 2014

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Emergency Management, IS-00800.b National Response Framework Introduction

Emergency Management, IS-00200.a

Emergency Management, IS- 00100.a  Incident Command System Introduction

Emergency Management, IS- 700, 705, 706 National Incident Management System

Emergency Management, IS-701a, 702,703,704 Resource Management

American Institute of Toxicology Laboratories

Toxicology Training Course – 2010

The National Forensic Science Technology Center

Forensic Sciences:  An Overview for Medicolegal Death Investigators – 2010

Armed Forces Institute of Pathology

23^rd Annual Forensic Anthropology Course – 2010

Professional Organizations / Memberships

American Academy of Forensic Science 2018 –Present

• Medicolegal Death Investigations Standards Workgroup

National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME)  2017- Present                     

• Full Office Accreditation
• Membership

National Association of Counties (NACo) 2015 – Present

• RAC Steering Committee — Present
• Healthy Counties Initiative Board – Present
• Health and Human Services Co-Chair – Present
• Rural Action Caucus Committee – 2017-Present
• Western Interstate Region Committee – Present
• Woman of NACo – 2016 – Present
• Human Services and Education Steering Committee – 2016-Present
  • Subcommittee Vice-Chair: Education, Children, and Families

International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (IAC&ME) 2011  – Present

• Fellow Member – 2015 to Present
• Office member- 2015 to Present

Idaho State Association of Counties 2015 – 2017

• Intergovernmental Affairs Committee – 2018
• Health and Human Services Committee 2016-2017
• Legislative Committee, Coroner Representative – 2015 – Present
• Justice and Public Safety Committee – 2016-2017
• District III Representative — 2016

Society of Medicolegal Death Investigators (SOMDI) 2015 – Present

• Active Member

American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) 2011 – Present

• Board Certified Diplomat

Idaho State Association of County Coroners 2007 – 2013 & 2015 – Present

• Vice President 2017 – Present
• Secretary 2016-2017
• Education Committee Chair 2017 & 2018
• Board Member 2015 – Present
• Legislative Representative   2015 – Present
• Education Committee 2015 – Present

Idaho Office of Drug Policy 2017-Present

• Opioid Misuse and Overdose Workgroup

TIP Trauma Intervention Prevention 2015 – Present

Kids Count Too- Executive Board 2017 – Present

The Governor’s Task Force on Children At Risk 2016 – Present

• Idaho Child Fatality Review Team Member

Publications

Ada County Coroner’s Office

• Business Plan – 2017
• Coroner Report – 2016 & 2017
• Policy and Procedural Manual – 2016
• Quality Control Manual – 2016
• Regional Mass Fatality Plan – 2016

Twin Falls County Coroner’s Office

• Policy and Procedure Manual – 2010
• Coroner Brochure – 2010

Idaho State Coroner Association

• State Implemented Training Program
• State Legislation – 2018

Dotti’s Volunteer & Community Outreach Efforts

• Organized and implemented Ada County’s annual “Memorial for the Forgotten”, where over 60 cremains that were improperly stored were given a proper resting place in a donated crypt.
• Advocate for responsible opioid prescribing practices, patient responsibilities, and knowledge of use, dependency and abuse.
• Advocate for suicide prevention.
• Organized and arranged conferences including speakers, registration and travel for Coroner Association conferences.
• Initiated and taught ABMDI classes for Idaho State Coroners resulting in the successful ABMDI certification of 21 professionals around the state of Idaho.
• Participate in the Annual Boise Holiday Parade.
• Participate in Garden City Police Department’s Trunk or Treat event at the Boys and Girls Club of America.
• Provided education opportunities for various organizations such as Boy Scouts of America, Girls Scouts and Boise schools, with mock crime scene and blood spatter workshops.
• Instructed six week Community class “Role of the Coroner, to include Forensics and Investigations