Luzerne County seeking applicants for coroner position

Luzerne County is seeking applications for the vacant coroner position, which has been advertised at an annual salary range of $62,000 to $64,000.

A coroner is needed because Francis Hacken submitted his resignation, effective Sept. 9. He recently presented extensive data supporting his argument that more staffing and funding are warranted in the office.

The minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree, preferably from a regionally accredited college or university, and at least five years of experience in a coroner’s office or in death investigations conducted by law enforcement, the job posting says.

Specialized training in investigative procedures and court testimony experience in death investigations and hearings also is listed.

Finally, applicants must be physically able to assist in the recovery and transport of bodies weighing a hundred or more pounds.

As always, the county indicated it will consider any equivalent combination of acceptable education, training and experience that would qualify applicants for the position.

Applications are due Sept. 14. Information is available under the human resources department “career opportunities” link at luzernecounty.org.

Coroner duties include investigating deaths of those who are not under medical care, deaths in which a physician is unable to certify the cause and deaths due to unnatural causes or violence, which include all accidents, suicides and homicides, the posting says. The coroner’s office must rule on the manner of death.

The coroner also approves all cremations and organ donations in the county and handles the identification and proper disposal of unclaimed bodies, it said.

A retired Pennsylvania State Police captain, Hacken was appointed coroner in October 2019 and received $64,260 annually in the position.

While county coroners before Hacken were funeral directors and medical professionals, other counties have had coroners with law enforcement backgrounds.

The coroner was an elected post in the county before the 2012 switch to a home rule structure made it an appointed one.

Hacken had unsuccessfully urged council twice last year to provide funding for two additional field investigators.

County Manager Randy Robertson, who started overseeing county government June 13, has said he is aware of Hacken’s concerns and is exploring whether a portion of upcoming opioid litigation settlement funding can be allocated to the coroner’s office to help address resource needs. The county is expected to receive $25.4 million in compensation from litigation against opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors, officials have said.