Steven Hanks, Larimer County coroner, told the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 27 that the office’s caseload and out‑of‑county autopsy work have increased and described operational adjustments to manage staff workload.

“We record every death in Larimer County whether it’s a coroner’s office jurisdiction or not,” Hanks said, explaining that his office documents reports of death and differentiates between simple reports and cases that require scene investigation or autopsy. He said the office performs about 250 autopsies for Larimer County residents and about 268 autopsies for other counties under contract.

Hanks said cases per coroner‑office investigator vary substantially by complexity: some are simple hospice or phone‑based investigations while others require on‑scene work and autopsies. He told commissioners the office’s cases‑per‑investigator metric is higher than prior goals: “That 370 mark is kind of a good place to be, but as you can see we’re… at 437. We’re over 400 but we’re doing really well,” Hanks said, noting schedule changes (from 24‑ to 48‑hour shifts to four‑10 schedules) to reduce burnout and improve staffing flexibility.

The coroner described the office’s regional role: the facility receives contracted autopsy work from more than 30 counties and alternates weeks with a nearby Weld County facility. He said demand is increasing as forensic pathologists retire in other regions and cited new referrals from parts of Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Commissioners asked whether facility improvements would attract more out‑of‑county business and funding. Hanks recommended a larger sheltered vehicle transfer area, more secured parking for investigators, and an improved loading area; he said current parking and a small carport are exposed and shared with other services. “If that side of the office was really built up and improved we’d continue to grow and bring in more counties,” he said.

On suicide and mortality statistics, Hanks said Larimer County records manner of death on death certificates and provides data to the public‑health dashboard maintained by the county Health Department. He said the county participates in a local suicide‑review alliance with hospital and school district partners to share data and look for prevention opportunities.

Commissioners thanked the coroner for the detail and asked staff to consider facility upgrades that might support regional autopsy demand and investigator safety.