Howard Cooper: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: BannockburnWebsite: cooperforcoroner.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lake County Coroner Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Father of fiveOccupation: DentistEducation: Loyola University of Chicago/ DDSCivic involvement: Past AYSO Soccer Coach, NRA Golden Eagle Member, Past Commissioner Bannockburn Planning Commission / Zoning Board of Appeals, Dental Donated Services, Republican Precinct CommitteemanElected offices held: Bannockburn Planning Commission/ Zoning Board of Appeals CommissionerLake County Dental Society: Treasurer, Secretary, President-Elect, PresidentChicago Academy of General Dentistry: Editor, Secretary, President-Elect, PresidentIllinois Academy of General Dentistry: Treasurer, Vice-President, President-Elect, PresidentAmerican Society of Forensic Odontology: Continuing Education Chair, EditorAcademy of Dentistry International: Vice-RegentDMORT WMD All Hazards: Co-EditorAcademy of General Dentistry: National Dental Education Council Member, PACE Council Member Bannockburn School Foundation: SecretaryNDMS Operations Work Group MemberQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office? If you are running for re-election, is there an important project you want to implement? If you are a challenger, is there a particular issue that motivates you? Please explain.Lake County needs a medical professional, experienced in forensics, who can also serve as an efficient administrator. I also believe our forensic investigators should be boarded Medicolegal Death Investigators who continue to further their education and training. An important goal I have, as the next Lake County Coroner, is for death prevention for young people. I believe the Coroner should be in all our county high schools talking to the students about heroin, alcohol, texting and driving, suicide, bullying, and other risky behaviors.What aspects of the office do you think need improvement? Be specific. How would you address that need?First and foremost we need to have a Coroner's office that is accessible to our citizens. When our residents are visiting the office, it is most often a horrible time in their lives. We need to be compassionate and available to get them whatever information they require in a timely manner. Second, the Coroner's office needs to re-establish a positive working relationship with funeral homes, municipal police officers, the county Sheriff's office, county prosecutors, and the Lake County State's Attorney's office. There should never be a time where we cannot work together to reach the same goal.Should the office remain an elected position or be converted to a medical examiner post in Lake County?I believe the office should remain an elected position. This allows the citizens of our county a direct impact on the office. They can vote for whomever they deem fit to serve. If that person no longer performs, they can vote them out. The right to vote is what America stands for. If the position is converted to a Medical Examiner's office, the people lose their right to vote. It becomes an appointed position.What role, if any, does the coroner's office have in preventing deaths and engaging in local advocacy, such as encouraging use of Narcan and collecting unwanted prescription drugs? Is enough being done now in this area? Do you have an idea you'd implement if elected?We need to have programs in every high school in our county talking with kids about heroin, alcohol, texting and driving, suicide, bullying, and other risky behaviors. Even though we have Narcan available in every patrol car, I believe we need to talk to our kids before heroin becomes a problem. Narcan gives a second chance of life, but it's a path I'd prefer our kids never have to travel. We need to stop them from ever trying this horribly addicting drug. The only time a teenager should be at the Coroner's office is when they're on a tour. Period.Please list any elected office you've ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?In 2007, I ran for Bannockburn Village President against two other residents. In the three-way race, I finished second. In 2012, my first time involved in county politics, I ran for Lake County Coroner and lost in the primary. I have served in many leadership capacities in multiple dental societies and served as President of the Lake County Dental Society, the Chicago Academy of General Dentistry, and the Illinois Academy of General Dentistry. (See complete list from a previous question.) For 12 years, I was a commissioner of the Bannockburn Planning Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals (appointed by the Village President.)What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?We need to institute the highest levels of professionalism in both the person of the Coroner and the staff of the Coroner's office. We need to be compassionate and caring to all we serve. We need a Coroner who will lead the office and allow the investigators to do their jobs and further their education. We also need to take a thorough look at the budget and cut waste wherever we can.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Dr. Joseph HagenbruchWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The biggest lesson I learned at an early age was to always tell the truth.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I'd use it to work toward finding a cure for cancer. I lost my mother, close friends, and many patients to this disease.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject was chemistry. It helped me create a systematic approach to problem solving that I have applied to all aspects of my life.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?The biggest piece of advice that I have given my children is don't try drugs - ever.