Williamson County explores options in autopsy services

Covey said the medical examiner's office staff was "accommodating."

"We asked if all our autopsies went to them, can they handle it," Covey said. "They said yes."

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office also impressed Williamson County officials with its variety of options in autopsy services and quick turnaround time.

In a workshop with staff from the Travis County office May 28, Williamson County leaders learned about the office's need for more space.

Because of its high use of Travis County medical examiners, Williamson County commissioners face the dilemma of whether to maintain their partnership with Travis County as it searches for a way to fund a larger building or establish its own office.

"We shouldn't alienate Travis County, we need them. But we like Tarrant County, and we want to do more business with them," Williamson County District Attorney Jana Duty said. "The further we get from having our own facility, the more we have to worry about paying for travel to Tarrant County."

Bill Gravell Jr., Precinct 3 justice of the peace, suggested the Commissioners Court find possible locations for a medical examiner's office and appoint a group of elected officials to work out how to build up the office to include crime lab and other services in 30 years.

"An M.E. office in Williamson County is the right thing to do," Gravell said . "[We can] develop a model that expands as we do. It works superbly [in Tarrant County]."

The Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office was established in 1965 and built up to include services such as forensic dentistry in 1982, a crime lab in 1989 and a Human Identity Section in 2007, according to the office's 2012 annual report.

The workshop did not lead to a decision on Williamson County's next step, but County Judge Dan Gattis asked the justices of the peace to gather transportation cost information and consider sending some cases to Tarrant County in the meantime.

"Let's test the water a little bit," County Attorney Dee Hobbs said. "See which cases are appropriate for Tarrant County and which are appropriate for Travis County."

Covey said a Williamson County medical examiner's office could be far in the future, but searching for funding options, partners and a location should start soon.

"I don't want anybody to think we're going to be biting this off on our own," she said. "[But] we've got to start planning."