ARSON TASK FORCES
An arson task force involves state, local, and/or federal agencies combining resources, equipment, and personnel to combat the crime of arson.
Statistics show that arson is a continuing problem. With tax limitations, budget restraints, possible hiring freezes, and insufficient staffing, how do we adequately handle the arson problem?
One method that is working in numerous cities across the nation is the establishment of an arson task force. The task force concept can be enacted for single as well as multiple jurisdictions. The task force requires planning, coordination, and training among all participating agencies. Participation can be agreed on under mutal aid, contracted aid, moral obligations, or other reciprocal types of agreements. By utilizing the task force concept, whether it is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, other fire departments or police departments, or surrounding agencies, you will increase and strengthen the investigative force to deal with arson incidents.
IDENTIFYING NEED
In order to establish a task force, first identify the types of cases that will be investigated. Second, take a retrospective examination of major or complex fires, serial fires, or other fires that meet your criteria to be investigated. Third, identify the approximate total number of fires you handle each year and the time needed to investigate them. Fourth, examine if a high-intensity effort would assist in better case management.
Next, confer with management at your agency as well as participating agencies to discuss these needs and the potential for using an arson task force. Confer with the prosecutors involved to seek their advice and participation. The ultimate success of these cases depends on their involvement.
Once you have identified the problems, documented the numbers and types of incidents, conferred with management, and solicited participation from the prosecutors, you will have justified the need for an arson task force.
PERSONNEL AND ACTIVATION PROCEDURES
Each participating agency must identify its resources, equipment, and personnel. You must preplan the number of members that will he involved in the investigations. Establish a list of personnel and their expertise so the arson task force incident commander can activate the personnel needed to handle each phase of the investigation. Develop notification procedures.
Next, evaluate expense requirements. Typically, participating agencies will cover the costs of the personnel, equipment, and resources they supply to the task force. Occasionally investigative expenditures arise. Decide in advance who will pay for them.
Develop an organizational structure so that all participating agencies, as well as each investigator, can fit into the arson incident command system. (See flow chart opposite, which follows the multiagency task force concept, allowing for consistency and efficiency in the overall operation.)
Establish minimum training standards to ensure a smooth-running investigation. It is important to note that the agency who has jurisdiction over the fire is the lead agency unless otherwise specified. The other agencies involved in the arson task force are there to augment the need for additional resources, personnel, and equipment.
SUCCESSFUL TASK FORCES
Success of the task force operation depends not only on the Incident Command System but also on designating one spokesperson for release of information to the news media, ensuring that a case management system is enacted, holding periodic debriefing meetings, providing feedback, and getting a commitment from all participating agencies.
There arc a number of successful arson task force operations in effect across the nation:
- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Los Angeles City Fire Department have completed and prosecuted numerous cases using the task force.
- National response teams, made up of agents specializing in fraud, chemistry, origin and cause, fire engi-
- neering, and more, have been activated, usually within 24 hours, to provide more investigative manpower on arson scenes throughout the United States, with positive results.
- Departments in Detroit, Michigan have used arson task forces to handle “Devil’s Night” crimes.
An arson task force is an effective way to fight arson. It is designed to augment your agency’s resources, provide interagency teamwork, increase the network ability across the nation, provide other means to prosecute, and help you operate in a more efficient manner.
