Full Notification

October 06, 2011 – MEDIA RELEASE
HUNTERDON COUNTY PROSECUTOR FORMS ARSON TASK FORCE
Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony P. Kearns, III and Hunterdon County Fire Chiefs Association President Marc Strauss announce the formation of the Hunterdon County Arson Task Force.
Prosecutor Kearns also announced an update on the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Investigation Unit. Detective Edmund DeFilippis has been named as the Unit Commander and will also lead the new Arson Task Force. DeFilippis is an 18 year police veteran and has over 27 years of service as a volunteer firefighter.
According to Prosecutor Kearns, “The HCPO Arson Investigation Unit is responsible for investigating all major fires within the county. All Arson Investigation Unit members are trained in Origin and Cause determination, evidence detection and collection, documentation photography, fire scene diagramming, fire scene reconstruction, and insurance fraud.”
“The HCPO Arson Investigation Unit is tasked with providing the Municipalities in Hunterdon County with a professionally staffed team, trained and equipped, to conduct all phases of fire investigations,” stated the Prosecutor.
The Hunterdon County Arson Task Force is comprised of HCPO Detectives, Municipal Law Enforcement Officers and Detectives, Municipal Fire Officials, and volunteer fire department personnel. The Arson Task Force also works with the New Jersey State Police Arson Squad at fires in jurisdictions patrolled by the State Police. In addition, the Task Force is augmented by the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety with their Arson Investigators and Accelerant Detection K-9 Unit.
The Task Force is staffed with law enforcement officers to handle any and all criminal investigations as well as fire officials, who are familiar with and responsible for the enforcement
of the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the Uniform Fire Safety Code. Volunteer fire personnel will assist with scene investigation and reconstruction.
In January 2011, Prosecutor Kearns, Chief of Detectives John Kuczynski, DeFilippis, and Strauss met to discuss the need for such a task force in the county.
“It had been brought up many times over the years and never brought to fruition,” according to Strauss. “But with Prosecutor Kearns and Chief Kuczynski on board, this task force is becoming a reality.” Strauss is a past chief of the Annandale Hose Company and a Sergeant with the Clinton Township Police Department.
Prosecutor Kearns added, “Our goal was to combine the specialties and disciplines of law enforcement officers, detectives, and volunteer members of the fire service. The Prosecutor said the Task Force Members will assist the HCPO Arson Investigation Unit in all phases of fire investigations.”
The Prosecutor pointed out that the fire service in Hunterdon County is an “all volunteer” system and the mandatory minimum arson investigation training is 90 hours completed in 3 weeks at the NJ Division of Criminal Justice Academy in Sea Girt. The investigators also attend additional training regularly. “We are asking a lot of our volunteer fire personnel, but as usual they came through for the good of the community,” according to Kearns.
The Hunterdon County Arson Task Force participating agencies are:
Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office
Hunterdon County Fire Chiefs Association
New Jersey Division of Fire Safety - Arson / K-9 Unit
Clinton Township Police Department
Readington Township Police Department
Tewksbury Township Police Department
Lebanon Township Police Department
Whitehouse Station Fire Company
Clinton Fire Department
Raritan Township Fire Company
Annandale Hose Company
High Bridge Fire Department
Flemington Fire Department
Raritan Township Fire Marshal
Hunterdon County Department of Public Safety
Prosecutor Kearns added, “I wish to thank all the Police Chiefs, Fire Chiefs, and other department heads for their participation in this project. All the police officers, detectives, and volunteer firefighters participating are also commended for their commitment to the success of the Hunterdon County Arson Task Force.”
Questions can be submitted to the Prosecutor via fax to 908-806-4618.