NCJ Number
81005
Journal
Fire and Arson Investigator Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: (October-December 1981) Pages: 47-51
Date Published
1981
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The responsibilities of the fire marshal in the New York City Fire Department are described.
Abstract
In New York City, the fire marshal's position includes four separate roles: fire investigator, police officer, general criminal investigator, and arson specialist. The fire marshal is an investigative police officer employed by the fire department. The fire marshal's main responsibility is to conduct fire investigations to determine the causes of fires. If the fire is deemed incendiary, the fire marshal conducts the criminal investigation, which aims to identify and apprehend the offenders. Fire investigation is a systematic inquiry into a fire incident. All fires are accidental or the result of a deliberate act of destruction. The fire marshal must reconstruct the incident in the order in which each specific event occurred. Determining the point of origin may be the most important single facet of the investigation. Fire marshals must also be able to discern the indicators of a fire's travel path and to correlate them with the environment, existing fuels, and the physical circumstances at the scene. Before determining that a fire is incendiary, the marshal must eliminate all possible accidental causes. Case histories show that evidence that initially appears clear may not reflect the whole situation. In 1970, New York City fire marshals officially became police officers under State law. As a police officer, the fire marshal has greatly increased responsibilities. Fire marshals conducting criminal investigations must comply with legal and procedural rules related to such subjects as search and seizure and the questioning and detaining of subjects. Arson investigators must not only gather evidence but must also prepare a brief for the prosecutor and be able to discuss evidence in court.