What is the primary function of police fire investigators?

The primary function of police fire investigators is to determine the causes of fires. This role involves conducting thorough investigations to analyze fire scenes, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and utilize various techniques and scientific methods to ascertain how and why a fire started. Understanding the cause of a fire is crucial for several reasons, including preventing future incidents, holding responsible parties accountable if arson is suspected, and contributing to the body of knowledge that helps improve fire safety and response strategies.

While enforcing fire codes, providing training, and managing fire departments are important aspects of the broader fire safety and prevention framework, these tasks typically fall to other professionals or departments. Fire marshals or code enforcement officials handle fire code enforcement, training is often provided through educational programs or fire departments, and managing fire departments is a leadership role that focuses on departmental operations rather than investigating individual incidents. Thus, the primary focus of a police fire investigator firmly rests on uncovering the causes of fires.