Breaking Blue: Coroner’s Office
Coroner Raeann Brown explaining DCSO Citizen’s Academy alumni the duties of her office.
Alumni from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Academy program were invited to a presentation by Douglas County Coroner Raeann Brown and given a private tour of the Coroner’s Office (CO). Being reunited and seeing fellow classmates after graduation was fun, and Deputy Brian McKnight put together an intriguing class about a topic many do not frequently discuss – death and the role of the CO.
Under Colorado law, the coroner is an elected official who is only required to be a resident of the county and 18 years of age. Other states have different systems and requirements; some states have coroners who are trained medical examiners and some have a combination of both a medical examiner and forensic investigator. Coroner Brown, who was elected in November 2022, is a trained medicolegal death investigator, meaning she has both medical knowledge and forensic training and experience.
Housed in the Robert A. Christensen Justice Center in Castle Rock, the CO occupies the second floor and the basement. Chief Deputy Coroner Keenan Heyde gave a tour of the CO and inside the morgue. Its temperature-controlled coolers have the capacity to store 80 deceased individuals at any given time. Alumni observed two body bags that had been recently processed.
The CO consists of 12 full-time staff, including eight investigators, a part-time autopsy technician and five part-time temporary investigators who receive forensics, medical and investigations training. The CO contracts with forensic pathologists to do its autopsies rather than having in-house staff. Forensic pathologists are specially-trained physicians who work almost exclusively in the field of death investigations and assist in determining the manner and cause of death – of which there are legally five: natural, accidental, suicide, homicide and undetermined.
The CO is mandated by the State of Colorado statutes. It works with state and federal agencies but is independent from law enforcement, hospitals, nursing homes and physicians. Its primary responsibility is to determine the cause and manner of death, as well as legal identification and death notification.
While the CO has its own transport vehicles, the organization is currently collaborating with an outside transport service provider to assist with further needs.
While the CO has its own transport vehicles, the organization is currently collaborating with an outside transport service provider to assist with further needs.
Additionally, the CO is generally present for organ donation harvesting, including those donated to be used for medical science research and investigation.
To learn more, visit https://www.douglas.co.us/county-coroner/.
Chief Deputy Coroner Keenan Heyde gives alumni from DCSO Citizens Academy a tour of the Coroner’s Office.
By ViVi Somphon; photos courtesy of Michael Beattie
