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Hempstead County Coroner Ben Brazzel literally opened the door to a new tool for his office here Friday in a demonstration of a portable cadaver storage unit, one of six loaned to county's statewide by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.
“We have had such a need for it for a number of years for matters of death to be determined, investigative purposes, bodies to be delivered to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for identification purposes,” Brazzel explained.
He said former coroner Gary Aaron, Hope Police Chief J. R. Wilson and Sheriff James Singleton had previously worked on the grant process which Brazzel was able to help complete when he took office.
Brazzel said each unit costs about $10,000; is completely self-contained, operating on independent 110 volt electrical service, and is portable.
Each unit is capable of holding three cadavers at a time, he said.
“I took office in 2011 and Kermit Chanel (crime lab director) said, 'You've got it; where are you going to put it?' And, I said, 'I don't know, but I'll find one,'” Brazzel explained.
He said businessman Eddie Brazzel offered the use of a portable building at no cost to the county.
“We use it for the state police, Hempstead County, and the City of Hope,” he said. “It's technology we've never had, because it has always just been left to the funeral homes.”
Brazzel offered his thanks to the sheriff's department, HPD, and Arkansas State Police for their support in acquiring the unit.
He said the state purchased equipment which was affordable relative to the need.“I've got one; Lafayette County got one at the same time, and so did Columbia County,” Brazzel said. “They have been very useful. Little River County doesn't have one.
“Now, it is the property of the Arkansas State Crime Lab; not the Hempstead County Coroner's Office, and, I'm just the caretaker and overseer. It can be used by Little River County if they have such a need.”
He cited a recent example in the discovery of a man who died in an abandoned residence as the most current use of the equipment, which has been available since February, 2011.
Brazzel said the unit was used while evidence was gathered to determine the man's identity and cause of death.
“If a truck driver, for instance, is killed in a wreck at 2 a.m., and we need to find out who he is because he is burned beyond recognition; this is where all of this comes into play,” Brazzel said. “You don't have to have a funeral home available.”
He said the unit has been used at least a dozen times in the first year.“It's been used by the city, county and the state,” he said.
“We all like the technology, and like to see it grow, because in a crime scene, especially, preservation is the number one thing.”
Hempstead County Coroner Ben Brazzel literally opened the door to a new tool for his office here Friday in a demonstration of a portable cadaver storage unit, one of six loaned to county's statewide by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory.
“We have had such a need for it for a number of years for matters of death to be determined, investigative purposes, bodies to be delivered to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for identification purposes,” Brazzel explained.
He said former coroner Gary Aaron, Hope Police Chief J. R. Wilson and Sheriff James Singleton had previously worked on the grant process which Brazzel was able to help complete when he took office.
Brazzel said each unit costs about $10,000; is completely self-contained, operating on independent 110 volt electrical service, and is portable.
Each unit is capable of holding three cadavers at a time, he said.
“I took office in 2011 and Kermit Chanel (crime lab director) said, 'You've got it; where are you going to put it?' And, I said, 'I don't know, but I'll find one,'” Brazzel explained.
He said businessman Eddie Brazzel offered the use of a portable building at no cost to the county.
“We use it for the state police, Hempstead County, and the City of Hope,” he said. “It's technology we've never had, because it has always just been left to the funeral homes.”
Brazzel offered his thanks to the sheriff's department, HPD, and Arkansas State Police for their support in acquiring the unit.
He said the state purchased equipment which was affordable relative to the need.“I've got one; Lafayette County got one at the same time, and so did Columbia County,” Brazzel said. “They have been very useful. Little River County doesn't have one.
“Now, it is the property of the Arkansas State Crime Lab; not the Hempstead County Coroner's Office, and, I'm just the caretaker and overseer. It can be used by Little River County if they have such a need.”
He cited a recent example in the discovery of a man who died in an abandoned residence as the most current use of the equipment, which has been available since February, 2011.
Brazzel said the unit was used while evidence was gathered to determine the man's identity and cause of death.
“If a truck driver, for instance, is killed in a wreck at 2 a.m., and we need to find out who he is because he is burned beyond recognition; this is where all of this comes into play,” Brazzel said. “You don't have to have a funeral home available.”
He said the unit has been used at least a dozen times in the first year.“It's been used by the city, county and the state,” he said.
“We all like the technology, and like to see it grow, because in a crime scene, especially, preservation is the number one thing.”
