Dallas County has the second largest population size in Texas, making it one of the most populated counties in the country. Needless to say, it’s also a county where medical examiners are extremely busy. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Dallas County, but the city also made headlines in 2023 for having the worst rate of traffic deaths in the country for large cities. Plus, there’s been an increase in overdose deaths in recent years.
In Dallas County, medical examiners work at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences (SWIFS). The institute was really put to the test in 2020 when Dallas County reported extremely high numbers of COVID-19 cases. Not surprisingly, the premature death rate spiked in Dallas County during that year, which required many more death investigations than normal to verify the cause.
The SWIFS proved during that period what an asset it is to the community of Dallas County. With the National Institutes of Health reporting that the death rate is rising in Dallas County, and many of those deaths being considered premature, SWIFS will only become more important in the coming years.
Serving the Dallas County Community Through Pandemics and Epidemics
The Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences serves all of Dallas County, which requires a ton of manpower. To carry out all of its functions, there are two divisions at SWIFS.
Medical Examiner’s Office (MEO)
Like other medical examiner’s offices, the MEO’s main function at Southwestern Institute for Forensic Sciences is to determine the cause and manner of death for unexpected or questionable deaths. Although the SWIFS MEO serves Dallas County, they also assist other smaller counties that don’t have their own medical examiner’s office. This keeps SWIFS busy given that the medical examiner’s office performs around 1,400 autopsies a year for other jurisdictions.
The SWIFS MEO has received accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) to act in this capacity.
The Criminal Investigation Laboratory (CIL)
The Criminal Investigation Laboratory handles the forensic lab work for criminal cases involving a death. Within the CIL there are three units: the Biology Unit, Firearm Unit and Trace Evidence Unit.
The SWIFS Criminal Investigation Laboratory has double accreditation. It is accredited by the Texas Forensic Science Commission and ANSI National Accreditation Board. The SWIFS Criminal Investigation Laboratory is also part of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and the National Integrated Ballistics Network (NIBIN).
Services Provided by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences at Dallas
The goal at SWIFS is to provide services that are highly accurate, impartial and completed in a timely manner. In order to remain impartial, the SWIFS is not a division of the local law enforcement or prosecution agencies. Instead, SWIFS reports to an appointed chairperson at UT Southwestern Department of Pathology and the Commissioners Court.
Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences provides:
- Autopsies
The Medical Examiner’s Office at the SWIFS performs thousands of autopsies every year. Many of them are performed for Dallas County as a part of the institute’s normal duties while hundreds of other autopsies are performed for a fee for entities outside of the county’s jurisdiction. - Forensic Firearm Testing
If someone’s death involves a bullet wound, forensic firearm testing can be done to determine a variety of things from the type of weapon that was used to the angle at which someone was shot. - Trace Evidence Testing
The CIL at the SWIFS is able to analyze even the smallest amount of evidence gathered at crime scenes. Trace evidence can include a single strand of hair, clothing fibers and paint chips. - Expert Consultation
SWIFS isn’t a part of the Dallas Police Department, however their experts do consult with law enforcement as well as prosecution agencies and defense attorneys working on criminal cases in Dallas. - Pathology Expert Witness and Testimony
The experts in the Criminal Investigation Laboratory regularly act as expert witnesses in cases, providing testimonies when needed. These services are provided for criminal cases in Dallas County and can be provided for a fee to other jurisdictions.
Working With the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences While Planning Funeral Services
The Southwestern Institute for Forensic Sciences has been serving the Dallas community since its formation in 1969. It’s a forward-thinking institute that has been a national leader in forensic services and procedures since that time.
If the SWIFS’s services are required a release form will need to be submitted. The Southwestern Institute for Forensic Sciences’ release form is completed by the deceased’s next of kin and gives SWIFS permission to release the body to a designated funeral home, which is required once their work is complete. The form also inquires about the possibility of donating tissue.
Southwestern Institute for Forensic Sciences Location Information
The general public isn’t allowed at the medical facilities and laboratories where the MEO and CIL do their work. However, there is a government office in Dallas that can be contacted.
Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences’ government office is located at:
2355 N. Stemmons Freeway
Dallas, TX 75207
Business Hours
Monday – Friday: 8am-5pm
Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences’ departments can be reached by phone at:
Main Office – (214) 920-5900
Medical Examiner’s Records – (214) 920-5921
Drug and Toxicology Lab – (214) 920-5961
Physical Evidence Lab – (214) 920-5981
If you’d like more information about the Southwestern Institute for Forensic Sciences, submitting release forms or arranging eco-friendly funeral services after a death investigation, Cremation.Green can help. We are able to coordinate with any medical examiner’s office in Texas to arrange transport and help the family through the difficult process.
We are available by phone, text or email 24 hours a day, seven days a week.