Medical examiner reports higher suicides in 2024, proposes therapy dog for staff support

The Washington County medical examiner presented the office’s 2024 annual report to the Public Safety Committee, reporting a rise in suicides over the past five years, a decline in some drug-related deaths, staffing changes and improved laboratory turnaround times. The medical examiner also asked the committee to "test the waters" on the idea of introducing a therapy dog for staff support.

In the report, the medical examiner said drug-related statistics for a younger cohort (age 11–12 referenced in the report) have declined, while suicide numbers have trended upward, with last year a record high not seen since 2016. The medical examiner noted that overall caseloads so far in 2025 include 24 occupancies, 55 scenes and 31 transports, and that the office is slightly ahead of last year’s caseload. On forensic testing, the medical examiner said autopsy-case…