Jefferson Parish to expand forensic center

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy and Congressman Troy Carter have secured $1.4 million in funding to upgrade Jefferson Parish’s forensic facilities. Funding will be used to build a new morgue, with upgrades to facilities to aid investigations.

Coroner Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich explains the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office also supports neighboring parishes.

“It’s much more cost-efficient for that parish, that coroner, to send the autopsy to us,” said Cvitanovich. “We will charge them to do that autopsy, but their parish will save huge amounts of money while still getting a high-quality autopsy.”

The majority of grant funds will go toward improved forensic imaging technology. Cvitanovich describes the installation of a high-speed CT scanner as “cutting-edge” and says it will, in some cases, allow for non-invasive autopsies.

“That will allow us, in certain cases, to make our determinations without having to go through the time and the expense of a full-blown autopsy,” Cvitanovich said.

As the nation faces a shortage of forensic pathologists, Cvitanovich says facility upgrades will allow the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office to continue to lead the state in autopsy examinations.

“For [smaller parishes] to go through the expense of having a forensic pathologist, support staff and a morgue facility would be huge for only 20 autopsies a year,” he explained. “It is more cost-efficient for other parishes to send their work to us. We will then charge them and do that autopsy,” Cvitanovich said.

Nationally recognized Forensic Practitioner Joesph Scott Morgan began his career at the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office in the late ‘80s. He describes the facility’s forensic capabilities as top in the nation.

“JP Coroner’s is on the leading edge in the Southeast United States,” said Morgan.

Upgrades are expected to be in place within 12 to 14 months.

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