Future Focus Topics
Sydney Walker’s vision for Canyon County is built on integrity, compassion, and a commitment to professional excellence for the decedents, their families and the employees of the Coroners Office. Our future-focused priorities ensure every citizen is served with the dignity they deserve. The coroner shouldn't just serve the deceased it should serve the living too as a leader in prevention and public health. Every death is a story we can use to prevent the next and keep our community safe.
"WE get to".
Her Stance on Future Priorities
Public Transparency
Building transparent communication and community trust between the Coroner’s office and local residents. Done so by quality investigations and public data reporting.
You deserve to know trends happening in your community. When our communities are well informed - they are safer.
Budget/Taxpayer Concerns
Maintaining strict fiscal discipline and operational transparency to respect the investment of every Canyon County resident. Done so by allocating funds to what matters, deputy coroner to support quality work and educated professionals.
I believe the coroners office is well funded AS IS. I'm committed to not increasing tax payer burden and will do so be allocating funds to where it matters most and where citizen will see an increase in quality of service. From 2021 to 2026 the budget has increase 26% to increase the salary of the E.O, these are funds that can be redistributed to increase the level of service given to decedents, their families and our community. Places like training and deputy coroner pay to keep the boots on the ground workers and high quailty investigations.
Working with Outside Agencies
Fostering seamless partnerships with law enforcement, first responders, medical providers and local non profits to ensure efficient, coordinated service for our community rooted in public health and prevention across sectors. This also increases our local economy by partnering with fellow non profits that also aid in prevention efforts.
Employee Retention
Improving current turnover rate for deputy coroners within Canyon County by prioritizing training, education, and advancement for deputy coroners. This will ensure compassionate, consistent, and high-quality care at every scene.
Peer support in this role is essential and currently there is no formal peer support program for the deputy coroners in the Canyon County Coroners Office. Peer Support is a essential part of a job that carries high stress and trauma, most fire departments and EMS departments operate with a established support systems for their staff, the coroner's office shouldn't be any different. It isn't a matter of these workers turning away because they aren't "emotionally capable" of handling the job, its a matter of helping them feel safe, and supported to share the emotional complexity this job requires.
Family Interaction & Bereavement Services
Serving grieving families with professional dignity and compassionate care, providing the guidance they need during loss. Being present at support groups and fostering a relationship with those to be a guiding light. This is something we do every single day, its thankfully not something family face daily. This we where we can guide them through the next steps.
Public Transparency
I am committed to building transparent communication and strengthening trust between the Coroner’s Office and the community we serve. This begins with conducting thorough, high-quality investigations and responsibly sharing meaningful data with the public.
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Through my experience working with ODMAP (Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program) and quality data reporting, I understand the importance of accurate, timely, and actionable information. I have seen firsthand how strong data collection and reporting can identify trends, inform public health responses, and ultimately save lives.
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I will work to improve how the Coroner’s Office interacts with residents by publishing annual reports that highlight trends, provide insight into our work, and keep citizens informed. These reports will balance transparency with respect, protecting decedent confidentiality while offering valuable information that can guide community awareness and service needs.
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By clearly communicating what we do, how it impacts our community, and what trends we are seeing, we can better identify gaps in services and support efforts that improve overall public health and safety.
Budget/Taxpayer Concerns
We don’t need a bigger budget—we need to reallocate the funds we have. Over the years, raises for elected officials and appointed leadership within the coroners office have approached 26% from 2021- 2026 for the EO alone. I believe that money should be going where it matters most: to the deputies doing the work and the services that ensure accurate, high quailty investigations.
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Deputy coroners are the ones responding to scenes, supporting families, and carrying the weight of this job. Investing in them helps retain strong, qualified professionals and reduces burnout. At the same time, proper funding must be prioritized for autopsy and toxicology services—because accurate answers are essential for families and for our community.
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My priority is clear: strengthen the foundation of the office by investing in people and services—not growing administrative salaries. I'm committed to increasing our revenue streams to increase our budget WITHOUT tax payer burden.
Working with Outside Agencies and the General Public
Strong relationships between the Coroner’s Office and our public safety partners—EMS, fire, law enforcement, and dispatch—are essential and must be restored and strengthened. When communication and collaboration between these agencies are effective, the experience for families is significantly improved during their most difficult moments.
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Currently, the Coroner’s Office often lacks direct access to real-time dispatch information and call notes from EMS and fire. This can result in deputies arriving on scene without critical context and, in some cases, families having to repeat painful details multiple times. That should not happen.
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By improving communication systems, strengthening interagency relationships, and working toward access to shared information, we can ensure deputies are better prepared before arriving on scene. I also believe in prioritizing cross-agency training and collaboration to create a unified, informed response. Every death is not only a responsibility—it is also an opportunity to learn, improve, and better serve our community.
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I'm thankful to be Endorsed by Local 804 Nampa Firefighters, Local 1056 Caldwell Firefighters, and the March Mayhem Fire Conference. Showing their trust in me to lead the coroner office to high collaborative efforts to our first respodners.
Employee Retention
Employee turnover within the Coroner’s Office has been a persistent issue over the past six years, starting in 2020, driven by scheduling challenges, compensation concerns, and a lack of strong, supportive leadership. Retaining qualified, experienced deputy coroners is critical to maintaining the integrity and quality of death investigations.
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Deputy coroners are the eyes and ears of the pathologist they are the ones responding to scenes, collecting evidence, documenting findings, and working directly with families. Their work directly impacts the accuracy of cause and manner of death determinations. When turnover is high, consistency and quality suffer.
As a leader, I bring both education and real-world experience. I hold a microcredential in Leadership from Boise State University and currently lead Idaho’s only eye bank. I understand that strong leadership is not about authority, it is about leading with integrity, empathy, compassion, and the willingness to listen.
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Creating a culture where employees feel supported, respected, and valued is essential to retention.
I am committed to improving retention by reallocating funds within the existing budget—prioritizing frontline staff over administrative salary growth—to ensure deputies are fairly compensated. I will also invest in ongoing education and professional development through opportunities such as the Idaho State Association of County Coroners, IACME conferences, and other relevant training programs.
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This is an investment in people, in quality investigations, and in public trust. Just as you would not want an untrained doctor providing care, our community deserves experienced, well-supported professionals responding on their worst days.
Family Interaction & Bereavement Services
Supporting families does not end at the scene—it is a critical part of the Coroner’s Office mission. My goal is to expand services in this area by developing meaningful bereavement support and strengthening partnerships with organizations like TIP of the Treasure Valley.
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I will work to introduce support groups and improve follow-up resources to help guide families through the next steps after loss. By working more closely with community partners, we can ensure families are not left navigating grief alone.
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This is public health. Every day, we serve families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and we have a responsibility to help connect them to the support and resources that begin their healing journey.