Aug 18, 2016 2 min read

Washington County Coroner Tim Warco has carried a sidearm for 40 years, and 25 of those have been in his current role as the medical assessor of scenes involving fatalities. More than ever, Warco is responding to crime scenes that involve the ongoing heroin and opioid drug epidemic. The danger of a lingering criminal element spurred Warco to have three of his deputies trained and certified to carry handguns.

Washington County commissioners recently approved Act 235 Level 1 handgun safety training for the deputies, two of whom already have completed the training, according to Warco.

“It’s a liability thing, too. Someone could bring suit against the county if we’re not trained in how to protect ourselves,” Warco said.

Warco, who said he’s never had to draw his weapon while on duty, wants to be prepared for a worst-case scenario.

“Times are different from yesteryear. Death scenes involving drugs, sometimes we’ll be there for an extended period of time after police have done their investigation, and we’ll need to stay. I’ve been on calls where people are playing Russian roulette, they were cutting cocaine and someone ends up dead and people at the scene are more worried about where the drugs or money are at rather than worry about the deceased,” Warco said.

The inherent danger at a potential crime scene also extends to routine death notification.

“There’s a reason we always go with a uniformed police officer to notify next of kin. I’ve been cursed at, hit, bitten, spat upon – my colleague in Harrisburg, Graham Hetrick, he’s been shot at,” Warco said.

The deputies and the coroner, who will carry their own firearms, aren’t expected to have any easier of a year this year than last.

“Our death numbers, we’re already approaching 50 fatal drug overdoses. Last year, we had 73,” Warco said.