Caldwell names new chief medical examiner

Mayor Kirk Caldwell says he’s appointing a Northern California forensic pathologist to be the city’s new medical examiner.

Dr. Christopher B. Happy’s appointment must be confirmed by the Honolulu City Council. The city said Monday it will announce Happy’s start date once he is licensed to practice in Hawaii. He’s expected to get his license in a few months.

Honolulu hasn’t had a chief medical examiner since Dr. Kanthi De Alwis retired in 2009.

The city raised the annual salary for the job to $250,000 after struggling to find qualified candidates for the position.

The city says Happy is currently employed as a consulting forensic pathologist in Northern California.

He’s previously been assistant medical examiner in San Francisco and chief medical examiner in Milwaukee.