Davis County commissioners approve formal mutual‑aid agreement with Martin County coroner

Davis County commissioners voted unanimously Sept. 23 to approve an interlocal agreement with the Martin County coroner’s office that formalizes short‑term investigator coverage when one office cannot staff a shift. The measure creates a documented mutual‑aid arrangement so an investigator from one county can operate in the other county and be paid at that county’s on‑call and per‑case rates. The agreement also contemplates use during a mass‑casualty incident. County staff said the arrangement reflects longstanding informal practice but needs formal documentation because of payroll and on‑call pay rules. "All this is is a handshake deal that if we do have limitations in staffing, if there's trouble covering, say, day shift, somebody from their office might come over and vice versa," said Tyler, a representative of the coroner’s office. Tyler added that the document would make a visiting investigator a Davis County deputy coroner for the duration of coverage. Commissioners asked for safeguards so Davis County resources would not be chronically diverted. "I just want us to be mindful of us turning into a quasi coroner's department ... so I just wanna make sure that these are truly mutual aid things and that we're just not a subcontractor," said Commissioner Keith. The board approved the agreement by motion; Commissioner Keith moved, Commissioner Cook seconded, and the vote was 3–0. The county will send the drafted agreement to Martin County for review and signature, county staff said. The interlocal agreement includes pay parity for visiting investigators and a provision for payment through claims when cases occur.