Tony Ciriello is seeking the Kosciusko County coroner seat.
A caucus will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Kosciusko County Courthouse when precinct committeemen and women will vote for the position to be filled. Each candidate will have three minutes to state why they are seeking the seat.
Ciriello has served as deputy coroner for the past 22 years.
“I am seeking the position of coroner because I believe the office, while not a highly visible job or highly popular office, is a very important position within our government,” Ciriello said.
Ciriello said the coroner is responsible for determining cause, manner and mechanism of deaths during investigations.
He said his position as deputy coroner has prepared him to be coroner serving families and their needs when he is on a death investigation.
“I have gained experience, trust and good relationships with the healthcare workers within our county and with the law enforcement officers and funeral homes because these are the people the coroner’s office works with day in and day out,” Ciriello said.
Ciriello has 34 years in law enforcement that has given him the opportunity to learn how investigations work. He has been town marshal for Syracuse Police Department for 10 years.
“That experience is valuable to me to better investigate deaths and circumstances of deaths so that we do not allow criminal cases to go unprosecuted and that we make sure that when someone’s death is investigated, everything is done right and accurately so nothing is missed,” Ciriello said.
For the last 16 years he has been the director of training and education for the Indiana State Coroner’s Training Board, with his job being to train coroners and deputy coroners in Indiana how to properly do their job and help them get their certification as required by Indiana law.
Ciriello said he believes in community involvement and is active in the Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary Club, Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Club, is a Big Brothers Big Sisters board member, Beaman Home board member and Kosciusko Youth Leadership moderator.
He also serves on the board of directors for Indiana State Coroner’s Association and is on the Governor’s Public Safety Team as a representative for Indiana coroners.
(Story By The Times Union)
