In the past, the Sheriff’s Office was the lead agency for a county-wide fire investigation team. Unfortunately, over the years, team coordination dwindled. This is not to say fires were not investigated; just a lack of coordination. In 2021, we reinstated the leadership and coordination of the team which includes members from the Sheriff’s Office, Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office, Michigan State Police, Monroe City Public Safety, Frenchtown Fire, Bedford Fire, and Monroe Township fire departments. The team meets every quarter to coordinate continued training and update on the open fire investigations.
The team can easily be activated when fire personnel on the scene of a fire determine a fire investigator is needed by contacting the on-duty shift commander at the Sheriff’s Office. A member of the fire investigation team will then determine the number of personnel and resources needed.