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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
• 2020-2021
City of Santa Barbara Community Development Department
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 10 findings
F1
Page 52
The current building, constructed in 1987 and adapted to be the Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau in 1988, does not meet National Association of Medical Examiners standards.
F2
Page 52
There is one autopsy room, no toxicology lab and no isolation room dedicated to handle high risk cases.
F3
Page 53
Discharged air from the autopsy room ventilation system is not monitored, resulting in air-borne pathogens being discharged to the atmosphere.
F4
Page 53
The bodies are placed in the refrigeration room in body bags and stored on racks.
F5
Page 53
An industrial scale is located outside the Sheriff-Coroner’s building.
F6
Page 53
There is no stainless steel dissecting table with wash down equipment in the autopsy room.
F7
Page 53
The residue from autopsies drains into a sink, which is discharged into the public sewer system.
F8
Page 53
All instruments are manually cleaned with soap and water. This is a safety hazard and cross- contamination between autopsies cannot be avoided.
F9
Page 53
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau is not accredited by the National Association of Medical Examiners. 45
F10
Page 54
In Santa Barbara County, the Sheriff is also the Coroner.
Recommendations 10
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R1Page 52That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors allocate funding for a facility specifically designed as a Coroner’s Bureau, built to meet the current recommended standards of the National Association of Medical Examiners.
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R2Page 52That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors specify that the Coroner’s facility be designed with two autopsy rooms, a toxicology lab, an isolation room, and a refrigeration room. 44
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R3Page 53That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner monitor discharged air and ensure that no air- borne pathogens are discharged into the atmosphere.
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R4Page 53That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner provide a more modern method of body storage such as refrigerated drawers.
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R5Page 53That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner install a body scale within the Sheriff-Coroner’s building to determine accurate weight, without consideration of the weight of the body bag or the gurney.
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R6Page 53That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner install a stainless steel dissecting table with dedicated drainage in the autopsy room.
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R7Page 53That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner handle residue from autopsies as biological hazardous waste.
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R8Page 53That the Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner install an autoclave to ensure all instruments are sterilized after cleaning.
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R9Page 54That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors require that the Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau meet the standards for accreditation set by the National Association of Medical Examiners and the National Academy of Sciences, as recommended by the U.S. Department of Justice.
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R10Page 54That the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors separate the Santa Barbara County Coroner position and make it independent from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff when the current Sheriff-Coroner’s term expires.
No Responses Found 3
Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.
Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors
Elected County Office
Santa Barbara County District Attorney
Elected County Office
Santa Barbara County Sheriff
Elected County Office