KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo County will start the new year with a new medical examiner.
He is Dr. Patrick Hansma, a Michigan State University graduate who served as deputy medical examiner in Genesee and Eaton counties before taking the same job here.
He recently introduced himself to the Kalamazoo County board.
The Kalamazoo County medical examiner for many years has been Dr. Joyce deJong.
Dr. Hansma says deJong is moving onto greener pastures, and we do mean green.
The medical examiner’s facilities are located at the W-Med campus downtown.
The office here also contracts with other counties in the region to provide their medical examiner’s service.
He will be responsible for certifying deaths and investigating the cause of death when there is violence, no doctor present at the time of death, or if it’s unexpected.
The office would also perform an autopsy if an inmate dies while in custody, or a woman dies during an abortion.
