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Prescott Police Detective Completes Arson Investigation Training
Thursday, April 15, 2010
According to a Prescott Police Department press release, Detective Norm Peterson has completed a four week training session provided by the International Association of Arson Investigators.
"This enables Detective Peterson to investigate arson fires and testify in court as an expert witness in fire investigations," said police spokesman Lt. Andrew Reinhardt. "In a field as wide-ranging and dynamic as fire investigation, staying current with the latest research, technology, and safety practices is challenging and essential. This intense course provided state-of-the-art, in-depth coverage of every aspect of fire protection and investigation such as the sources, origin, and causes of fire characteristics."
The goal of the Police Department is to provide expertise to fire investigations that is based on accepted scientific principles and scientific research when conducting criminal arson investigations, added Lt. Reinhardt.
Police and fire departments work together to determine origin and cause of a fire. "The police department will resume the investigation if it is determined that the fire was criminally and intentionally started, whereas the fire department investigates accidental fires," explained Reinhardt.
Lt. Reinhardt stated that Detective Peterson joins a small, elite group of Arizona professional investigators with both law enforcement and fire credentials.