AURORA | For the first time in 20 years, Arapahoe County has a coroner other than Michael Dobersen.
Dr. Kelly Lear-Kaul, who, like Dobersen is a medical doctor who specializes in forensic pathology, took over as coroner June 2. The board of county commissioners appointed her to fill the role last month after Dobersen stepped down.
Lear-Kaul will serve out the remainder of Dobersen’s final term — which runs through January — and is running as a Republican this fall for a full term as coroner.
So far, no Democrat has announced plans to run against Lear-Kaul, and she said she doesn’t expect one to.
“It is obviously nice to be able to focus on doing my actual job,” she said.
Lear-Kaul has been with the coroner’s office since 2004 and said Dobersen’s early retirement and her subsequent appointment were in part aimed at having a smooth transition in the office.
Former Sheriff Grayson Robinson made a similar move last year when he retired early and commissioners appointed Dave Walcher as the new sheriff. Like Lear-Kaul, Walcher is running in this fall’s election for a full term.
Lear-Kaul first came to the Arapahoe County coroner’s office almost two decades ago when she was a medical student. She later earned her medical degree from University of Colorado and has worked as a forensic pathologist in the coroner’s office since 2004.
Dobersen found himself in a tough election fight in 2010 against an opponent who wasn’t a forensic pathologist, a point that became a major campaign issue that year.
Lear-Kaul said having a coroner who is also a forensic pathologist — which means they can conduct the autopsies themselves — is crucial.
“In our field, we find it is important to have a forensic pathologist serving in the role of the coroner as we feel that expertise provides a better service to the citizens of Arapahoe County,” she said in a statement after commissioners appointed her. “This has been the standard for the last 30 years, and I look forward to continuing that great tradition.”
While police and other government officials say they prefer an MD running the coroner office, it’s not a state requirement, and most of the state’s 64 counties do not have coroners who are also medical doctors.
Commissioner Nancy Doty said in a statement that Lear-Kaul was the ideal fit to replace Dobersen.
“As a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist, she has the qualifications and skills to serve in this role,” she said. “She is well respected in the Coroner’s Office, in Arapahoe County and within the forensic pathology community, and we are confident in her ability to lead the men and women of the Coroner’s Office.”
It’s time we hire true professionals for important positions like Coroner, Sheriff, District Attorney, Clerk & Recorder, Treasurer, Assessor, etc and take the political circus out of the process. Clearly, Dr Lear-Kaul is a professional that will focus on providing quality and compassionate services for the people of Arapahoe County. We don’t need unqualified political clowns like we see in El Paso County managing important government departments.