The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office, a department and agency operated by Anoka County, is responsible for death investigations and autopsies for nearly 30 counties across the full breadth of the state of Minnesota and a handful of Wisconsin counties.
“We talk to people in International Falls every day, all the way down south to Renville County,” said Shane Sheets, who soon will take over as director of the agency. “We team up on a (death investigation) scene, and we’re right there alongside law enforcement, alongside fire, alongside EMS, working together for that one single purpose, which is to find closure for that loved one.”
The office now employs four forensic pathologists and operates 24 hours a day to intake bodies from its coverage area (it is contracted by the individual counties) to conduct the investigations. It includes a family viewing area should the loved ones want to view the pre-autopsy body of someone who has been brought to Ramsey ahead of going on to final arrangements. There is also a large viewing gallery for investigators to watch autopsies in the suite below should they want to know what’s happening.
“It’s a job like no other, dealing with people in all these different agencies,” said Sheets. “It’s huge.”
He believes the reason the reach and range of jurisdiction for the office is because many far-flung counties in Greater Minnesota simply can’t afford to staff world-class forensic investigators and the facilities needed to conduct these investigations.
Sheets also points out that the investigations do not play out as they do on television dramas.
“That can include laboratory work, additional testing and all of that,” said Sheets. “We do have to send our specimens out to another facility, which can take anywhere to four to eight weeks. It’s not like C.S.I. where you have an answer in 24 hours.”
Sheets will take over as director in March for the original director, Gary Arnold, who is retiring. Sheets hopes to grow the reach as he can identify more counties and municipalities who may need the service.
“It’s organized chaos,” Sheets said with a smile as he looked around the facility. “But we have it down to definitely a science.”
