BOOK: Support SECTION: Fire Investigation Pg. 1 of 2

BOOK: Support SECTION: Fire Investigation Pg. 1 of 2

OPS/001 PURPOSE 1

OPS/002 FIRE SCENE PROCEDURES 1

OPS/003 JOINT POLICE DEPARTMENT/FIRE DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE OR DEATH SCENE INVESTIGATIONS 1

OPS/003.1 PROCEDURE 1

OPS/003.2 RESPONSIBILITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT COMMANDER OR DESIGNEE 2

OPS/003.3 CRIME SCENE WALK-THROUGH 2

OPS/003.4 CRIME SCENE CONTROL AND INVESTIGATION 2

OPS/003.5 DETERMINATION OF ORIGIN AND CAUSE 2

OPS/001 PURPOSE

The goal of this SOP is to ensure all incident resources (Incident Commander, Dispatch, other agencies, Investigators, etc.) work together to safely and efficiently investigate fires.

A.  When an Incident Commander (IC) or Dispatch contacts you related to a fire with OCFD on scene, immediately respond to the scene.

B.  Upon arrival, check-in with the IC to get an update of scene activity including known safety or health hazards and receive your assignment.

C.  Identify the hazards, evaluate the risks and implement control measures.

OPS/002 FIRE SCENE PROCEDURES

Contact will be made with the Incident Commander to set up fire scene security. If the fire is under control, outline what is needed so the supervisor can coordinate personnel accordingly.

When the fire scene is secure, examine the scene according to recognized NFPA procedures. If the Fire Department has left the scene unattended, a search waiver or search warrant is required.

Once the fire scene has been turned over to Investigators it is their responsibility for continued security and safety of citizens or agencies entering the area.

See Peace Officer SOP for investigation procedures and collection of evidence.

OPS/003 JOINT POLICE DEPARTMENT/FIRE DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE OR DEATH SCENE INVESTIGATIONS

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure an organized and professional approach to the protection, management, and investigation of fire scenes that have resulted in or led to the discovery of a death.

OPS/003.1 PROCEDURE

Homicide Unit Investigators will investigate deaths when a body is discovered at the scene of a fire, whether the fire is intentionally set or not. Additionally, they will investigate when the cause of the fire is unknown, uncertain, deliberately set, or set to cover up, or to commit a homicide.

The Fire Department Incident Commander (or designee) will contact dispatch to request Fire Investigators and the on-call Homicide Lieutenant providing the pertinent information surrounding the fire and discovery of the body. In all cases when OCPD and/or OCFD personnel are on a fire death scene, the scene will be secured and protected as required. All witnesses will be separated and secured with the assistance of police operations personnel. Public safety, crime scene investigation, and evidence preservation, are of paramount importance during the initial arrival of first responders.

Anytime a possibility exists that evidence may be lost during the initial stages of response, the first investigators to arrive at the scene, whether Police or Fire personnel, will take the necessary steps to preserve evidence. Once the Homicide Unit arrives at the scene, the Homicide Unit Investigator(s) and or Lieutenant(s) will take charge of the crime scene investigation. Fire Department Investigators and the Police Department Homicide Unit will investigate the death conjointly.

After a fire has been extinguished, the fire or police personnel discovering a person’s body will:

A.  Check for conclusive signs of death, and call for EMSA if appropriate; and

B.  Secure the scene and maintain scene security until relieved by personnel from either the Fire Investigators or the OCPD Homicide Unit.

OPS/003.2 RESPONSIBILITY OF FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT COMMANDER OR DESIGNEE

The Fire Department Incident Commander or designee will be required to complete the following tasks:

A.  Notify EMSA (if appropriate);

B.  Notify Police dispatcher, to request Homicide Units; and

C.  Notify Fire dispatcher, to request Fire Investigators.

D.  Once the area is secured, a complete list of persons who entered the scene prior to and after discovery of the death will be obtained.

Upon arrival of the Homicide/ Fire Investigators, they will be briefed concerning the fire circumstances (if known), information pertaining to possible witnesses, fire survivors, and the discovery of human remains. Additionally, a preliminary crime scene walk-through may be needed for a complete understanding of the event.

OPS/003.3 CRIME SCENE WALK-THROUGH

A Preliminary crime scene walk-through will consist of the following:

A.  An assigned Homicide and Fire Investigator will be allowed to walk through the crime scene for preliminary investigation ONLY. In most instances, there will be no need to have more than one Homicide Investigator and one Fire Investigator assigned to the walk-through unless otherwise determined by a Homicide supervisor. A Homicide Investigator may request a member of the assigned C.S.I. Unit to participate in the preliminary walk-through. If detailed information is learned during the walk-through that is important for other Homicide or Fire investigators to view, photographs will be taken at the time of the walk-through by CSI. The photos should be viewed outside the crime scene perimeter by other investigators assigned to the case. At the end of the initial scene investigation, those photographs will be downloaded and stored with the case file photographs.

B.  For the purpose of this procedure, a preliminary investigation will mean a walk-through of the crime scene only. No item will be moved, touched or processed.

OPS/003.4 CRIME SCENE CONTROL AND INVESTIGATION

In order to maintain proper crime scene control and investigation, the Homicide supervisor will be in charge of death scenes once the Homicide Unit becomes involved in the investigation.

A.  The Homicide supervisor shall be briefed by Homicide personnel and/or Fire Department personnel on the scene.

B.  The Homicide supervisor will be responsible for the assignment of an investigating team consisting of the necessary Fire Investigators, Homicide Investigators, and a Crime Scene Investigators to process the scene.

C.  Homicide investigator(s) or supervisor(s) shall have the authority to restrict access to the scene to only those necessary to the criminal investigation.

D.  Homicide Investigators will be responsible for interviewing all witnesses, suspects, and other involved parties.

E.  Anytime the Oklahoma City Police Department Homicide Unit is conducting an investigation into a fire death, all media releases pertaining to the case will be made through the Oklahoma City Police Department Public Information Office or designee.

OPS/003.5 DETERMINATION OF ORIGIN AND CAUSE

Determination of the origin and cause of the fire will remain the responsibility of the Fire Investigators. While investigating the immediate area where the victim(s) body is located within the burned structure or area, the assigned Homicide supervisor is responsible for contacting the State Medical Examiner’s Office and coordinating with them.

A.  Physical evidence surrounding the origin and cause of the fire is generally collected by Fire Investigators and will continue to be collected and stored by them. If requested, C.S.I. personnel are available to assist in the collection of fire related evidence.

B.  Physical evidence in the immediate area where the victim’s body is located within the burned structure or area that may or may not be related to the death, will be the responsibility of Oklahoma City Police Department C.S.I. personnel as directed by the assigned Homicide Investigator(s).

C.  If it is determined the fire death is not a Homicide or related to a criminal act, the assigned Homicide investigators will provide their reports to the Fire Department’s Investigation Unit for final disposition.

Format Property of FireNotes, Inc® (OCFD.com) DO NOT DUPLICATE Last Revised: 1/23/2013 8:19:00 AM