Anoka County Board reappoints medical examiner

According to the resolution, Piper has “ably served” county residents as medical examiner since Jan. 1, 2010. Her current term ends Dec. 31.

A forensic pathologist, Piper graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 1999 and completed her residency in laboratory medicine and pathology at the University of Minnesota in 2004.

She has been in practice as a forensic pathologist since she completed her fellowship at the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in 2005 and was hired as an assistant pathologist at Anoka County’s Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office in January 2007.

When Dr. Janis Amatuzio retired as the county’s medical examiner, Piper was appointed by the county board to her first term effective Jan. 1, 2010.

In addition, Piper serves on the medical review subcommittee for the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities and the Central EMS Overdose Fatality Review Team.

But Piper and the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office, which is located in Ramsey, do not just serve Anoka County.

Shane Sheets, office director, explained that it is the appointed medical examiner for 34 counties in Minnesota, including forensic autopsy services for the FBI, primarily in the Red Lake Nation. On Jan. 1, 2023, the office will become medical examiner for Lac Qui Parle County on the retirement of its coroner, Sheets wrote in an email.

The office also provides referral autopsy services for 12 other counties in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, he wrote.

Besides Piper and Sheets, the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office staff includes three forensic pathologists, an office manager, morgue supervisor, investigations supervisor, nine office investigators-forensics, four forensic technicians/autopsy technicians, three medical transcriptionists, a building caretaker and 70 to 80 medicolegal death investigators across Minnesota. All Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office contracts with other counties are approved by the Anoka County Board.

According to the county website, the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office performs death investigations, as required by state law, and conducts post-mortem examinations as well as providing education and consultations to affiliated counties.