Q&A with Hickrod

1. Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what? What will be your main priority?

I am running for Kane County Coroner because I feel that I am the most experienced, qualified and well-rounded candidate. I am motivated to run because in the state of Illinois there are no requirements to be a candidate for coroner and if elected, the only requirement is to successfully pass a 40-hour training course. Also, there are no requirements for deputy coroners and they only receive on-the-job training. I have the training and experience necessary to do the job and to do it well. I have been in public service and have been preparing to become coroner for the past 25 years while working as a funeral director and police officer. I am a graduate of Worsham College where I studied mortuary science and a licensed Illinois Funeral Director and Embalmer. As part of my instruction to become a funeral director I received extensive medical training at the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office where I was involved in the dissection and extensive study of the human body. I also received instruction in grief counseling, mortuary law, pathology, microbiology, psychology and sociology. I am a Chicago Police Academy graduate and served as a Streamwood Police Officer for over 11 years. As a police officer I investigated homicides, suicides, accidental deaths, traffic fatalities, natural deaths, as well as numerous crimes and crime scenes. I also received specialized death investigation training from Chicago Police Academy and the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office. This training included domestic, elder and child abuse as it pertains to death investigation. As coroner, my main priority will be to improve and expand the scope of training and continuing education programs for myself and my entire staff in order to develop the scope of knowledge and resources available to be well-rounded, thorough and professional death investigators. I will work hands-on to educate the community and to reduce premature and unnecessary deaths. I pledge to be a coroner who will be proactive and one who will stay "in touch" with every aspect of the Kane County Coroner's Office.

2. For incumbents and non-incumbents. If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.

I will contribute my years of experience as a police officer, funeral director and my knowledge of operating a business. With this experience comes my natural ability to lead, manage and unify the coroner's office so it will run more effectively and efficiently. I have been a public servant and preparing to become coroner for more than 25 years, all the while serving the citizens of Kane County. I have received specialized training designed specifically for the medical study of the human body, death investigations and crime scene investigations. As an operator of a small business I understand the importance of running the coroner's office more efficiently and effectively within an allotted budget. As coroner, I will work diligently to operate an effective office, working within the budget and working cooperatively with the county board on future budgets and equipment needs. I will also bring leadership to the coroner's office having been in a leadership role all of my adult life, leading by example and setting higher standards is important to me. I will also mend strained relationships and bring unity back to the coroner's office. Over the past eight years, our coroner's office, from time to time, has unfortunately strained relationships with police, fire, health care, prevention groups, funeral service and even county officials. As coroner, I will immediately meet with all of these agencies creating functional policy, procedures and protocols that will create better understanding and working relationships with all agencies who work with the coroner's office.

3. In recent years, Kane County has seen a rise in deaths due to domestic violence and cocaine. Does the coroner's office provide enough outreach in the community? Are there educational efforts the coroner's office should be undertaking that it is not currently? If so, what? Please be specific and offer funding sources.

I do agree that we have seen a rise in domestic violence and cocaine related deaths. Currently, the coroner's office is making efforts in some areas of community outreach and education, however I do not feel enough is being done at this time. As a police officer I was very involved in proactive education and community outreach, even teaching the citizen's police academy. Also as a police officer I was very proactive in leading my department in drunken driving arrests, receiving awards for my efforts from Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorist. As coroner, I will continue to expand all programs the coroner's office is currently conducting and focus much more on schools and communitywide programs for the citizens of Kane County. These programs will be specifically designed to help reduce and prevent unnecessary lifestyle deaths including drugs, abuse and violence-related deaths. These programs will be held in conjunction with many other agencies including suicide prevention, drug and domestic abuse. I will thoroughly promote these programs conducting them three to four times a year in various locations throughout Kane County. Funding for such programs would first be sought as part of the coroner's annual budget, but I will also seek funding from additional sources, such as governmental grants, the assistance from large retailers and even having a coroner's fundraiser, to name just a few.

4. We've heard that space over the years has become an issue for the coroner's office. Is that still the case? How can this be rectified? And how would that be paid for?

Yes, space is still an issue. First and foremost, the coroner's current building was not originally designed to be a Coroner's Office. In approximately 1990 an existing building was converted to the coroner's office. That administration made the best of what they had and it was designed to handle the case load at that time. Over the past 18 years, we have seen a substantial growth within the county, a rise in the death rate and increased case load for the coroner's office. This has posed issues in the past and the facility will face new challenges in the future. There has been remodeling done over the years to address past issues within the facility. Most recently this year, remodeling included a family viewing room, emergency shower and work done to the refrigeration system. The space issue can be rectified by building a new coroner's facility. The decision to build a new facility will be based on the past population trend, increase in future population, the facility capacity and service level demands placed on the coroner's office. I have spoken with the director of environmental and building management, most of the county board, including the chairman and all of them are aware of existing problems with the coroner's facility. The consensus is that a new facility will be needed in the future perhaps located at the judicial campus. However, there are no plans for a new facility at this time. The county board would ultimately have to approve a new facility and funding for that facility. As coroner, I would research and attempt to obtain governmental grants to assist in the funding. But for now, I would work with the county board and make suggestions to resolve any issues which may arrive within the facility

5. Not including those issues already identified above, is there another issue you believe will affect the coroner's office over the next four years? If so, define it and explain how you would like to see it addressed.

As our generation of baby-boomers age, studies have shown that we will see a rise and even a spike in the death rate over the course of several years. With this rise, unfortunately we will see an increase in elder abuse-related deaths as well as an increase in unclaimed deaths. Our reality is that we live in a world where people will prey on the elderly, both physically and financially, for personal gain. As a longtime caregiver and advocate for senior citizens, I find this very disturbing and as an individual I will continue to care for and work to protect our senior citizens. As coroner, I will educate and train my staff as well as educate the public through community outreach programs. I will develop programs in conjunction with the state's attorney, police, health care workers, hospice and many others to help reduce and prevent abuse to our senior citizens while at the same time raising awareness of the problem. We will also face the reality that many more people will pass away alone, having little or no money for burial or cremation. As a funeral director, I know there are resources available to assist with funeral services. I would assist families exploring the options available with anyone who may find themselves in this position. As coroner, I will work together with our county board to develop a burial or cremation plan, so that every person will be cared for with dignity and respect.

The staff at the coroner's office should be educated, qualified, trained and have experience in related fields prior to being hired. The current coroner, over the past 8 years, has not implemented a more stringent hiring policy which would require stronger qualifications, training and experience prior to being hired as a deputy coroner, who is tasked with investigating deaths. Currently, under the title of Kane County "Deputy Coroner," under "Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:", the highest education, training or qualifications required is: "thorough knowledge of accident, homicide, suicide and other death investigation procedures and related police work, normally acquired within 6 to 12 months working in the coroner's office." Even though the state statute governs the coroner's office with minimal requirements to become a coroner, our coroner chooses not to raise the bar by setting higher standards for the hiring of deputy coroners who investigate deaths within our county. As coroner, I will make it a priority to set higher standards and rise above the status quo by hiring deputy coroners who are experienced and qualified. We will then regain the public's trust and reassure them that we have a qualified and competent staff working in the Kane County Coroner's Office.

6. Please list the names of all relatives employed by or involved in contracts with Kane County, their relationship to you and their position or area of business.

I have no relatives who are employed by or involved in contracts with Kane County.