State Crime Lab examiner hiring gets panel’s OK.

A legislative panel on Wednesday endorsed the state Crime Laboratory’s request to offer a $188,203 annual salary for an associate medical examiner in Florida to take a similar job in Arkansas.

Jesse Giles, who has worked in Florida’s medical examiner’s office in Jacksonville since 2002 and has more than 25 years of experience, is paid $180,145 a year in his current job. He turned down a $169,383-a-year offer from the Arkansas Crime Lab last month, said the state’s personnel administrator, Kay Barnhill.

There is a shortage of certified forensic pathologists, particularly people with Giles’ experience, and “this can create delays in filling positions which in turn can create a backlog in cases,” said Tony Robinson, the Bureau of Legislative Research’s personnel review administrator.

Sen. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, said that “there are a number of cases that are popping up in the area of crime and we need to be able to bring closure to families by working with this in an expeditious manner and having the best qualified people possible to do that.”

“I just think that it is one of those things that is a necessity for this state,” Chesterfield told the Arkansas Legislative Council’s personnel subcommittee before the panel approved Barnhill’s recommendation for the higher salary.

There are four other associate medical examiners with an average annual salary of $170,547 and average of 7.6 years of state service, and the Crime Lab “has attested that this special entry rate [for Giles] will not create an inequity among other incumbents,” she said in her letter.

This associate medical examiner post has been vacant for more than a year and “Dr. Giles has been the only inquiry we have received,” Charles Kokes, the Crime Lab’s chief medical examiner, said in a letter dated Aug. 25 to the Crime Lab’s executive director, Kermit Channell.

The National Association of Medical Examiners’ website lists 20 openings, “so we are competing with other offices for a very small pool of available candidates,” Kokes wrote.

“Dr. Giles is motivated to move here, he is board-certified and highly experienced,” Kokes said. “His services should command top dollar in any office.”

There is a projected shortage of pathologists in the coming years and it is anticipated that even fewer will choose forensic pathology as a career, he wrote in his letter.

“We have three members of our staff who are inching closer to retirement age. The time is now to devote some thought to ensuring we will have adequate medical staffing for the foreseeable future,” Kokes wrote. “Money isn’t everything, but competitive salary levels would be one mechanism to attract and retain qualified, experienced medical examiners.”

Kokes’ salary is $208,390 a year.

After the legislative panel’s meeting, Channell said he’s confident that Giles will accept the job offer and “be able to hit the ground running.” Channell’s salary is $104,722 a year.