The Office of the Coroner is mandated by Colorado Revised Statute (state law) with a primary obligation of establishing the cause and manner of death of individuals that die within the statutory jurisdiction of the Office. Generally speaking this includes the investigation of all deaths that are unnatural, unexpected, and/or unexplained in occurrence. The cause of death refers to the injury and/or disease that brought about the death. The manner of death (natural, accident, suicide, homicide) refers to the circumstances surrounding the cause of death.
All deaths occurring in Adams and Broomfield Counties are reported to the Office of the Coroner. At the time that the death is reported, staff determines if the circumstances of the death require further investigation by the Office of the Coroner.
The Office of the Coroner is also responsible for positively identifying the deceased and notifying the deceased’s legal next-of-kin that the death has occurred.
Additionally, the Office of the Coroner works to improve the life and longevity of citizens by providing the community with information on death trends, and deaths related to safety issues, institutional errors or abuse, and communicable diseases. The office also acts as a monitor of care for at-risk populations, such as children, the elderly, and the disabled.