MDPS participates in National Arson Awareness Week

Police and firefighters work together to solve arson cases.

By Lyndsie Manusos

Published May 8, 2009

Arson is a crime responsible for over a billion dollars in damage, and injures thousands of firefighters each year across the U.S.

To raise awareness about this crime the Missouri Department of Public Safety is participating in National Arson Awareness Week, which began May 3, and goes until Saturday.

Missouri hasn't escaped arson, a crime that affects the whole country. In March 2008, a Kansas City firefighter died at the scene of a residential structure fire that was later found to have been intentionally set.

In Columbia, police detectives and the fire department work together to investigate arsons.

Columbia Police Department Detective Jeff Nichols described arson as the burning of property that belongs to someone else. Arson is a class B felony unless the fire is started from the attempt to produce methamphetamine, after which it is becomes a class A felony.

CPD Detective Steve Brown said he has had some experience in handling arson cases and he said both the CPD and the Columbia Fire Department work together to solve the crimes.

"The fire department fights the fire," Brown said. "They determine the cause of fire and whether or not it is intentional or natural causes. We look at the criminal aspects."

MU Police Department Capt. Brian Weimer said they would work with the fire department as well, but he said on campus, arson is rare.

"There are very few reports," Weimer said. "It is an issue because it does happen at times."

Nichols said it is sometimes tough to solve an arson case, especially when the fire department is looking for evidence that is mostly destroyed.

"Sometimes there is nothing left to figure out," Nichols said.

When an arson case is suspected, local law enforcement and fire departments around Missouri can turn to State Fire Marshal Randy Cole for assistance.

Cole said about 40 percent of fires investigated are determined to be arson fires.

In the fiscal year of 2008, Cole said there were 471 criminal investigations including 310 that were determined to be arson fires. Cole said the number of arrests relating to arson fires in Missouri was higher than the national average, which he attributed to the state's investigators and to local law enforcement.

The theme for this year's National Arson Awareness Week is "Arson for profit."

Cole said given the economic recession in the country, the theme was an obvious choice.

A news release from the MDPS stated arson for profit is when businesses or individuals set fires to reduce financial losses.

Nichols said this type of crime is a way for owners of failing businesses to get out of their debts with a "check in hand."

"They tell their insurance company that their building caught on fire to get the insurance money," he said.

Although the theme is relevant in today's economy, Cole said Missouri hasn't seen a spike in arson for profit cases and he hopes not to.

"Anytime that you have these economic situations it can lead to arson situations and we are aware of that and obviously want to raise awareness to the public as well," he said.