Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Budget Workshop, Aug. 5 Though it wasn’t part of his original budget request, Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott told supervisors to be prepared for autopsy costs to increase. The pathologist the sheriff’s office had contracted with was forced to go on medical leave suddenly and will likely not be able to return to work, Scott said. As a result, the coroner’s budget will likely “double at least,” he said. “My point to the Board was that that budget line we’ve had for a number of years — getting an autopsy done for $1,500 per — that ship has sailed,” Scott told Redwood Voice Community News. “That will not be an option any longer, and so I just wanted to make sure they were aware because I’ll have to ask for a bigger allocation to that budget line from the general fund. They weren’t aware of it before because we had no idea this was coming.” The sheriff went before the Board of Supervisors on the second of a two-day budget workshop on Aug. 5. The year before, Scott had convinced the Board to let him freeze long-vacant positions in an effort to increase salaries and recruit more staff. As a result, the vacancy rate in the sheriff’s office budget went from 55% in 2024 to a current 12.5%, while staff vacancies in the jail went from 22% to 5.56% over the last year. During the workshop, Scott and Nancy McClaflin, the DNSO’s budget and logistics manager, discussed the department’s accomplishments. This includes obtaining a “several hundred thousand dollar boat” from Siskiyou County that will enable its boating and safety division to conduct ocean and river rescues, the sheriff said. The DNSO recently hired Tyler Balch away from the Crescent City Police Department who will oversee that division, Scott said. The sheriff’s office currently has two captains, four sergeants and 10 deputies and has also requested approval for an additional sergeant position. “That is to rebuild our investigations for narcotics enforcement,” Scott told supervisors. “I’d like to get that back so we can start getting this Fentanyl and homeless situation squared away.” That investigations unit will comprise three individuals. Yurok Tribal Police will add an officer to the unit, Scott said, as will the California Highway Patrol, potentially. Pelican Bay State Prison has also stated they would like to be involved. “You guys remember during the old days when we had a drug task force,” the sheriff said. “You have to have someone run that [unit] that’s there all the time to make sure everything is done by the book. It’s a whole different animal as opposed to working patrol operations.” According to the sheriff’s budget request, he’s asking to spend $2.2 million for staffing, though the salary for the drug task force deputy isn’t included, McClaflin told supervisors. If the Board of Supervisors approves the position, staffing costs will increase by $180,000, which includes the sergeant’s salary and benefits, she said. As for the coroner’s division — one of the state-mandated services the sheriff’s office is required to provide — there’s only one staff member, Michelle Greene, the coroner’s assistant. In addition to being out on patrol, Scott’s deputies are also deputy coroners and ensure death certificates are prepared for most people who pass away in the county. According to the sheriff, there have been about 330 deaths annually in Del Norte over the last few years. An autopsy is often ordered in cases of unattended deaths, including overdoses and for criminal cases. Scott said the number of autopsies ordered can range. Last year there were 28 autopsies. The year before there were 37. Part of Greene’s job is to assist the pathologist, who was under contract from Oregon and charged $1,500 per autopsy, which was a bargain, Scott said. “That coroner investigator not only does the assisting of that [pathologist] during the autopsy, but they’re documenting everything seen and heard to determine the cause of death,” he said. “If we didn’t have a coroner investigator, that cost would dramatically increase roughly anywhere from $300 to $500 per autopsy.” Finding a pathologist willing to travel to remote areas is a challenge for most rural counties in Northern California, the sheriff said. Large agencies are able to employ their own pathologists, rural communities often have to contract with a third-party provider or find an independent pathologist. Charges can also vary depending on the circumstances surrounding the decedent’s death, Scott said. “A criminal case, a homicide or something, would cost more money because more tools are needed and there are different medical examinations that have to take place on the body,” he said. “Or a child autopsy may be at a different price. The prices can vary for that pathologist’s time and the procedure.” Scott said the lowest quote he’s received so far has been about $2,800 per autopsy. He said he’s also received quotes of about $7,000 to $9,000 per autopsy. In addition to having to budget more for autopsies, Scott said his department also needs to put about $15,000 to outfit a van with coolers and a tailgate lift to transport deceased individuals out of the county for an autopsy. In that situation, he said, the coroner’s assistant will likely be the person transporting the body. The DNSO also renewed its contract with Wier’s Mortuary about six months ago. Not only does it have the space for an autopsy to be conducted, but Wier’s Mortuary also has modernized cooling chambers. Scott said if he finds a pathologist willing to come to Del Norte County, the facility is ready. “If we can find the right Board-certified doctor, which I think we found them but I don’t have a guarantee yet, then we’ll be in good shape,” he said. “It’ll help save that over time money, that transport cost and so forth. But, of course, we’ll still have to possibly do some of the autopsies outside of Del Norte County if it involves a homicide or a child death.” During the budget workshop, District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey asked Scott about a regional approach to the problem. “Like we do with our public health officer — we kind of borrow him from Siskiyou to come over here and make decisions,” she said. “With all the Northern California counties in the same boat, can we hire a regional pathologist?” Scott said the challenge there is a pathologist who may be based in Humboldt County, for example, is unwilling to travel to Del Norte. On Monday, the sheriff told Redwood Voice that his office has a handshake agreement with the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and has been using its pathologist. But he also doesn’t want to “wear out his welcome,” he said. “They’re just helping us out,” he said. “And, so, we’re going to find a pathologist. We’ll get there, it’s just going to cost us more.”