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LaPorte County coroner reports rise in suicides, warns office is short‑staffed
Summary
Coroner Lyn Swanson told the council suicides in the county have risen to 17 year‑to‑date and said the coroner’s office is operating with only three deputies on the street; she urged better staffing and asked for clearer internal communications after an email dispute about a $24 purchase.
LaPorte County Coroner Lyn Swanson told the council on May 27 that suicides in the county have risen to 17 so far this year, while the coroner’s office has seen a decline in drug‑overdose deaths.
"Suicides are up again this month. We're now at a total of 17," Swanson said, and added that overdose deaths remain comparatively low (five since Jan. 1). She said the county’s overdose and suicide fatality team is meeting monthly but that funding to expand outreach or intervention has not materialized.
Swanson warned the coroner’s office is critically short‑staffed: "I currently have three deputies on the street and myself," she told the council, describing recent resignations, medical leaves and training delays that limit new hires until at least October. She said vacancies mean deputies are working long hours and that some new hires must wait for certification classes that were postponed.
Swanson also raised a separate personnel concern: she described receiving an internal email from the auditor questioning a $24 OfficeMax purchase for CDs used to deliver voluminous records to insurers and other parties. She said the exchange felt confrontational because only the council has authority to create a donation fund and asked for clearer inter‑departmental communications. Council members suggested moving to cloud options such as a secure drive to reduce mailed CD use.
Why it matters: increasing suicides coupled with a very small coroner staff could slow death investigations, records production and coordination with public‑health partners. Swanson’s staffing report is a public‑safety flag the council can use in upcoming budget deliberations.
What’s next: Swanson said the office will seek new hires when certification slots are available and that she will bring budget or staffing requests forward during the county’s budget process.
