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Snuffed Out

Massive layoffs, internal conflict, and decreasing morale have all contributed to a less effective arson unit.

A A A Comments By Anna McCarthy Wednesday, Jan 13 2010

According to Rick Knowles, who worked on the arson task force representing the Alameda County District Attorney's office until he retired two years ago, the East Bay would be lucky if it had half the number of investigators it had a decade ago. He added that East Bay cities handle fire investigation slightly differently than San Francisco, because few of them have investigators designated specifically to work on arson fires. Instead, firefighters, police officers, and inspectors for the district attorney's office who are trained in arson investigation can be called by neighboring municipalities if help is needed.

This may be the direction San Francisco will need to go if it can't restaff its arson unit. Knowles said he has also heard that some cities are contracting out to private fire investigators instead of employing and training their own staff. Another option rumored to already be happening at other strapped Bay Area arson task forces is to offload arson investigation onto police departments.

Joseph Schell

Elmer Carr, former arson unit captain.

Joseph Schell

Erika Lockhart, former arson investigator.

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Lockhart says any effort on the SFFD's part at this point is too little, too late. She is no longer an investigator, and says she is retiring, in part as a result of the past year's events. It will be a sad departure, as her dedication to public safety and fire investigation runs deep. "Fire and police services are some of the most vital services a collective can provide its citizens," she wrote, going on to describe the many responsibilities fire investigators undertake. But successfully fulfilling those duties requires leadership from the top: "If the political organization cannot police itself in order to provide a highly trained staff to respond to all of these demands, it requires publicity and change."

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