Arson Investigation Unit May Face Cuts

Changes could be coming to a Baltimore County arson investigation unit praised by union officials as a successful model for other fire departments throughout the nation and in Europe.

"We're having a hard time wrapping our heads around this change," said Mike Day, president of the Baltimore County Professional Firefighters, the union that represents nearly 1,000 active county firefighters.

Day and others are concerned about a potential reduction in the number of investigators in the Baltimore County Fire Department's fire investigation unit.

Elise Armacost confirmed that fire department officials began discussions Tuesday about potential changes, but said it was premature to discuss options.

"We have not made any decisions, and this is still a work in progress," Armacost said.

Currently, the office is made up of about a dozen fire and police officers, including a fire department captain and police department sergeant.

Investigators work in teams of two equally divided between the two departments. Fire department employees investigate the causes of fires, while police officers investigate criminal actions associated with the blazes.

Day said the office is known for its high clearance rate and is a model for other departments.

"We've been very successful," Day said, adding that firefighters from "Great Britain came over here to study it and take it back with them."

Lt. Robert McCullough, a police department spokesman, said he "had not been briefed" on any possible changes and couldn't immediately comment.

Armacost declined to speculate on possible changes.

"The chief has not made any decisions and the department is not ready to release any details," she said.

The talk of streamlining the fire investigation unit comes at a time when the county may be looking for ways to deal with a projected $40 million shortfall in actual revenues compared to what was projected in the current budget.

Since taking office in December, County Executive Kevin Kamenetz has preached a message of doing more with less and using technology to streamline government operations.

Kamenetz, in the days before being sworn in to his first term as executive, announced he would eliminate 143 positions in county government.

Earlier this year, some agency heads reported they were asked to trim as much as 3 percent out of their current budgets. Others claimed there was a de facto hiring freeze in place.

In February, Don Mohler, Kamenetz's chief of staff, would not confirm how much departments were being asked to give back but said the practice is typical in a county that has a "tradition of fiscal responsibility."

Mohler added there was no hiring freeze.

Day said he believes the changes are related to the budget.

"We sympathize with the current economic conditions," Day said. "We just don't see the savings. They haven't demonstrated how this will save money."