About the Office of the Medical Examiner

The Office of the Medical Examiner is committed to providing accurate, scientifically backed assessments, compassionate family support, and maintaining the highest standards in our community's medicolegal investigations.

Meet our team, explore our organization, and learn about our commitment to excellence.

Our Chief Medical Examiner: An Introduction

Dr. Albert Chu, Delaware County Chief Medical Examiner

Delaware County Council appointed Dr. Albert Chu to serve as the County’s Chief Medical Examiner in October 2023.

Dr. Chu will lead the morgue operations that includes managing all pathologists, forensic specialists, and autopsy technicians.

Dr. Chu completed undergraduate and graduate studies at the Johns Hopkins University and received his medical degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He then completed a residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and a fellowship in Forensic Pathology at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland.

Prior to becoming Chief Medical Examiner, he served as an Assistant Medical Examiner at the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences in Houston, Texas, and as Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for the City of Philadelphia.

Jeffrey Lange, Administrator, Delaware County Office of the Medical Examiner

Jeffrey E. Lange was hired in September of 2022 as the Administrator for the Office of the Medical Examiner. Mr. Lange will lead the administrative support functions of the office.

Mr. Lange is originally from New Jersey and is a retired Chief of Police from the State of Maine. Mr. Lange has served in various public safety positions (Corrections, Fire, and Police) since 1989 as well as completing three tours as a Law Enforcement Professional (LEP) in Afghanistan and Iraq. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and will complete his Master of Public Administration in 2024 from Columbia Southern University. Mr. Lange obtained his Executive Leadership Development from Roger Williams University and holds several certifications, that include Six Sigma Lean Black Belt, Corporate Ethics Manager and Corporate Risk Manager. Mr. Lange is also a National Emergency Management Basic Academy Train the Trainer.

Amber Weeks, Chief of Forensic Investigations, Delaware County Office of the Medical Examiner

Amber Weeks was hired in June of 2023 as the Chief of Forensic Investigations for the Office of the Medical Examiner. Ms. Weeks will lead the forensic investigations and evidence sections of the office.

Ms. Weeks is a board-certified investigator with the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI). Ms. Weeks has served as an investigator for seven years at the State of NJ Medical Examiner’s Office prior to her role here at the Delaware County Office of the Medical Examiner. Ms. Weeks is a registered nurse in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and holds a license in forensic nursing in NJ, a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a Crime Scene Investigations certification from the University of Central Florida, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Drexel University, and is currently completing her studies towards her Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree through Hawai’i Pacific University. Ms. Weeks will obtain her Executive Leadership certificate from Villanova University through the CLIMB leadership program in 2024 for the Emergency Management professionals in Delaware County, PA.

How We Are Organized

The Delaware County Office of the Medical Examiner (DCOME) is divided into five Departmental Sections, based on the following services.

Administration and Administration Support.  The Administrator is to provide leadership and overall direction of the Department, which includes budgeting, forecasting, strategic planning, policy development, and compliance. Administrative support is comprised of reception, purchasing, scheduling, records management, data entry, analytics, validation for electronic death certificates, and the issuance of cremation permits. This section also includes a Bereavement Coordinator who serves as a family advocate to assist bereaved family members in interacting with DCOME.

Morgue Operations.  Led by the Chief Medical Examiner who oversees all Forensic Pathologists who are physician staff trained and Board Certified in the medical subspecialty of forensic pathology. They make jurisdictional case decisions, conduct postmortem examinations, certify deaths, review records and results, formulate medical conclusions, and author DCOME’s final work product, the Medical Examiner Report. This section also includes forensic specialist such as forensic odontologist and anthropologists who provide expertise in identifications.

Autopsy Technicians.  Reporting to the Chief Medical Examiner, they provide technical support for the examination of bodies admitted to DCOME’s facility, assist with performing radiographs, taking photographs, and aiding in autopsy dissections. Additional duties include fingerprinting and photography.

Forensic Investigations.  Led by the Chief of Forensic Investigations, who is certified by the American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) for Medicolegal Death Investigations, leads the team of medicolegal death investigators to conduct interviews, evaluate and collect evidence, and photograph the scene and body, and gather medical records and histories. They are the eyes and ears of the Medical Examiners and are most often the face of the agency, interacting with other agency partners and the public.

Evidence.  Reporting to the Chief of Forensic Investigations, the Evidence Technician is responsible for assisting and administering security, distribution, maintenance, and inventory of all collected evidence. The Evidence Tech safeguards the chain of custody of all evidence.

The Office of the Medical Examiner: Our Core Values

Service.  The highest value that we uphold is service. We pledge to provide efficient, uplifting, moral, and compassionate service to the general public and to one another.

Integrity.  We commit to always conduct ourselves in a respectful and professional manner when interacting with the people we serve and with one another. We commit to doing our best to be sincere, moral, and diligent. We commit to taking responsibility for our own words and deeds and to developing an organization that upholds integrity by demanding the same of others. When no one is looking, we still act morally.

Compassion.  We agree to practice empathy for one another and the people we serve, as well as to be aware of the potential negative effects of our words and deeds on others. We understand that speaking openly and kindly, even in the midst of disagreement, is an act of compassion.

Positivity.  We understand that perspective is important to attitude and that accurate assessments do not need to be pessimistic. We promise to face obstacles with a constructive mindset.

Adaptability.  We understand that nothing remains the same. We pledge to look for the good in change and recognize that it presents an opportunity for development.

Teamwork.  We understand how crucial it is to collaborate with people outside of our department and other department members; everyone on the team has a part to play. We strive to foster a positive, cooperative, service- and solution-oriented culture.

Boundaries.  We understand that there are boundaries within which we must talk, act, and for our team to succeed, each member must put their all into playing their part. We pledge to work within the parameters of our responsibilities while being careful not to take on inappropriate roles or to criticize or undermine those in other jobs.

The Office of the Medical Examiner: Our Organizational Chart
Click the image to view the Office of the Medical Examiner’s organizational chart.

Our Commitment to Excellence

At the Delaware County Office of the Medical Examiner, our commitment to excellence is unwavering. We dedicate ourselves to meticulous, scientifically rigorous investigations and compassionate community service. Upholding the highest standards in forensic pathology, we continuously strive to provide accurate, timely, and respectful responses to every case, ensuring integrity and trust are at the forefront of all we do. Our team's expertise and dedication reflect our steadfast dedication to the well-being and safety of Delaware County.