The mission of the Coroner's Office is to determine cause & manner of death; identify the deceased; notify family & proper disposition of deceased's property; investigate all circumstances surrounding unnatural death. |
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CONTACT
Phone
Fax
E-mail
Office
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Office of the Coroner
Mon-Fri, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
(The Coroners Office is staffed 24 hrs., 7 days,
365 days a year. For copies of reports and general
business, normal office hours are from 8 A.M. Till
10 P. M. Outside these hours please contact the
on duty deputy for help and information.)
Dennis J. Hess - Coroner | |
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Pennsylvania Department of Heath |
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Yearly Statistics
2002 Statistics
2003 Statistics
2004 Statistics
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2007 Statistics
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2009 Statistics
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Comparative Statistics
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The Coroner’s Department determines the cause and manner of unnatural and unexplained deaths occurring within Berks County. The department provides assistance to survivors of the deceased. The Office of the Coroner serves as an independent investigator in all unnatural and unexplained death investigations. The department investigates approximately 2,600 deaths per year with 90% being natural deaths.
Through our actions serve to represent those who can no longer represent themselves; to assume jurisdiction over persons who come to their unnatural death suddenly, or where the death is caused by unlawful means ensuring that decedents and their survivors are treated with the highest levels of dignity and respect.
The goal of the Coroner's Office is to provide Berks County with a thorough, competent and professional Coroner's Office and staff and to perform the designated duties of this office to the fullest extent for which the laws provide and dictate.
The Coroner is elected by the qualified electors of Berks County for a four-year term. The elected coroner and his appointed chief deputy and fulltime deputies are required to complete at least 40 hours of instruction. They are then certified upon completion of an examination. The coroner, chief deputy and all full-time deputies are required to have at least 8 hours of continuing education annually. The Pennsylvania Coroners' Education Board is responsible for developing the educational curriculum and examinations.
The Coroner may appoint one or more deputies to act in his place and stead, as he may deem proper and necessary. Such deputy or deputies shall have the same powers as the Coroner.