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Collect wills, burial instructions, and other documentation needed for investigations and for handling of the remains.
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Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.
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Confer with officials of public health and law enforcement agencies to coordinate interdepartmental activities.
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Witness and certify deaths that are the result of a judicial order.
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Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
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Locate and document information regarding the next of kin, including their relationship to the deceased and the status of notification attempts.
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Testify at inquests, hearings, and court trials.
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Coordinate the release of personal effects to authorized persons and facilitate the disposition of unclaimed corpses and personal effects.
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Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.
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Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.
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Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
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Collect and document any pertinent medical history information.
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Complete reports and forms required to finalize cases.
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Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.
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Record the disposition of minor children, as well as details of arrangements made for their care.
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Inventory personal effects recovered from bodies, such as jewelry or wallets.
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Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
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Direct activities of workers conducting autopsies, performing pathological and toxicological analyses, and preparing documents for permanent records.
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Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
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Arrange for the next of kin to be notified of deaths.