The people who know the most about what happens after a traumatic death are rarely asked about it. Patrol officers, detectives, victim advocates, funeral directors, coroners and cleanup technicians see the same scenes from different sides, and each knows something the others need to hear.
Our interview series will put those voices on the record. We are scheduling our first conversations now.
Who we want to talk to
Law enforcementOfficers, detectives, chiefs, sheriffs and victim advocates
Funeral serviceFuneral directors, embalmers, coroners and medical examiners
CleanupOwners, technicians and trainers in trauma and biohazard work
What we will ask
- What do families most need to hear in the first hours, and what do they usually hear instead?
- How do police, funeral homes and cleanup companies hand a family from one to the next, and where does it break down?
- What has changed in the work over the past decade, from fentanyl to standards like ANSI/IICRC S540?
- What does the public misunderstand about your job?
Our promise
How we handle every interview
- Interviews are recorded with permission and transcribed.
- We never invent, combine or “clean up” a quote so it says something you did not say.
- You can review your quotes for accuracy before publication.
- We do not share details of specific cases, victims or families.
Take part
To be interviewed, or to suggest someone we should talk to, contact the editors through our About page. Cleanup companies can also apply to be listed in the directory.
