The Denver
Office of the Medical Examiner investigates deaths in the City and
County of Denver that are required to be reported by Colorado statute.
The office is responsible for the subsequent certification of the cause
and manner of death. The Medical Examiner/Coroner's Office employs 22
people and has an annual budget of $2.1 million. It is involved with the
investigation of over 2,000 deaths annually in the City and County of
Denver.
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner (D.O.M.E.) has
been at its current location of 660 Bannock since 1996. Prior to that,
the office was located in the basement of Denver Health Medical Center
(D.H.M.C). While D.O.M.E. leases the building from D.H.M.C., and
utilizes many services such as phones, from the hospital, the office is
not an organized part of the hospital. Per state statute, it remains an
objective entity able to investigate any death in the City and County of
Denver.
D.O.M.E. office space consists of 2 floors. The 1st
floor is for administrative and investigative functions. It also
contains the pathologist’s offices, computer lab, lounge and file area.
The bottom or basement floor contains the autopsy suites, office for
laboratory technicians, X-ray room, freezer and cooler.