EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Springfield police say the loss of a medical examiner’s office in Lane County will be a disaster for law enforcement.
Sgt. John Umenhover told KVAL (http://is.gd/i2c8sm) the expertise is critical to the investigation of suspicious deaths.
District Attorney Alex Gardner says he’s forced to cut the medical examiner’s office because of a 25 percent reduction in his budget. The last two examiners will be gone in mid-May. Bodies needing autopsies could be sent to other counties.
One Lane County commissioner, Sid Leiken, says the state should create a medical examiner’s office that covers four or five counties.
