The Medical Examiner’s Office in the State of Wisconsin, is responsible for investigating deaths which fall within its jurisdiction under WI Statute 979.01. Examples are as follows:

1. All deaths in which there are unexplained, unusual or suspicious circumstances
2. All homicides
3. All suicides
4. All deaths following an abortion
5. All deaths due to poisoning
6. All deaths following accidents, whether the injury is or is not the primary cause of death
7. All deaths of inmates or in the custody of law enforcement
8. All deaths of persons whose bodies are to be cremated
9. Any death which occurs during, in association with or as a consequence of a diagnostic, therapeutic or anesthetic procedure

Our Mission Statement:
To provide death investigation services that honors those who have died by providing scientific, consistent and compassionate investigations into the circumstances of death.

Contacting the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office:
For Hospice agencies; to report an expected client’s death, call the Medical Examiner’s Office at 715-485-9218 with the following information:

1. Your name and agency
2. The decedent’s time of death
3. The mortuary handling final disposition
4. Will the family be requesting cremation or not

For all other questions, please call 715-485-9218.  It is likely that you will get our voicemail.  Please feel free to leave a detailed message. 

If you need immediate assistance, please call the Polk County Dispatch at 715-485-8300 and a communication specialist for the Sheriff’s Department will assist you.