Committee approves updated records-retention schedule for Honolulu Medical Examiner

The Committee on Public Safety and Customer Services on April 3 approved amendments and reported out a resolution to adopt a new, agency-specific records-retention schedule for the Department of the Medical Examiner of the City and County of Honolulu.

The change formalizes how the department will retain case reports, photographs, X-rays and biological specimens. Dr. Masahiko Kobayashi, medical examiner, told the committee the department now stores new records digitally "forever" while older paper and microfilm files remain in the department's facility and the city's archives. He said the schedule aligns specimen-retention periods with recommendations from the National Association of Medical Examiners and the College of American Pathologists.

Kobayashi said the department's retention policy had not been formally updated for "a really, really long time," and that adopting a formal schedule is important for accreditation. He told members the department sought review from the City Corporation Counsel, Honolulu Police Department and the Prosecuting Attorney's Office and that those offices raised no objections.

There was no public testimony for the item. Committee members raised no questions during discussion. The chair recommended amending Resolution 20576 to the posted proposed CD1 and, hearing no objections, amended it. The chair then recommended that Resolution 20576, CD1 be reported out for adoption; the committee raised no objections and the item was reported out.

"We respectfully request approval of this new schedule," Kobayashi said during his presentation.

The resolution and the posted CD1 and summary were listed on the committee agenda; the committee record shows the amendment and the report-out to the full council for adoption.