Course Description

This is an ICI foundation specialty course that will provide the basics for conducting investigations into fire or explosion incidents. The investigator will be given the information to determine whether a fire or explosion is accidental or criminal and is designed to enhance the origin and cause investigative skills of the law enforcement fire investigator. This course provides instruction in explosives identification and applications, explosives effects, IED component recognition and evidence collection.

The student will also learn a systematic method of investigating a fire or explosion scene, search warrants as they apply to both investigations, fire dynamics, fire chemistry, burn pattern analysis and fire scene and explosion scene documentation. This will include the basic techniques, the resources, and describing the steps necessary to obtain a search warrant in a fire or explosion incident. At the conclusion of the course the student will be able to: understand the role and responsibilities of the fire/explosion investigator, utilize other fire/explosion investigative techniques to determine whether a fire/explosion is accidental or criminal and how to effectively use outside experts in developing their cases and court presentations.

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Course Topics

• Fire Dynamics
• Introduction to Explosives
• Laws & Case Laws
• Range Activity
• Expectations of Investigators
• Resources
• Red Flag Indicators
• Investigative Follow-up
• Common Motives
• Case Study Assignments
• Insurance Fraud
• Case Study Exercise Presentations
• Arson Devices

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Course Prerequisites

While this is not a search warrant writing class, it is recognized that writing a proper search warrant in relation to investigations is essential to your job. With that in mind, the following has been established as a minimum baseline for students attending this course:

1. Have taken the 2-week ICI Core Course
   OR
2. POST online Search Warrant Fundamentals course to demonstrate knowledge of search warrant writing.  Click here to be taken to the POST Learning Portal. Completion of this course does give 3 hours of CPT credit.

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Course Certification Number: 9070-30101
Course Certification Hours: 40

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Course Fee Information:

POST Reimbursement Plan IV: There is no tuition for POST agencies. Travel reimbursement is available via Training Reimbursement Request (TRR).

Non-POST Reimbursable agencies: Tuition is $975.80 for FY2425. There is no reimbursement for travel and per diem.

DISCLAIMER: Priority enrollment for this course is to law enforcement investigators from POST participating agencies.

Course Date(s)