40A:14-1.1 Creation of arson investigation unit.

2. a. The board of freeholders of any county which has created the office of county fire marshal, other than a county in which a county arson investigation unit has been established in the county prosecutor's office, may by ordinance or resolution, as appropriate, create an arson investigation unit within the office of county fire marshal and provide for the maintenance, regulation and control thereof. The arson investigation unit, subject to the approval and supervision of the county prosecutor or, if the Attorney General has exercised jurisdiction in the matter, the Attorney General, shall be responsible for conducting investigations of arson, suspicious fires or explosions in those municipalities within the county that have not created an arson investigation unit pursuant to the provisions of section 1 of P.L.1981, c.409 (C.40A:14-7.1).

b. Before any county fire marshal or assistant fire marshal shall be assigned to an arson investigation unit, that person shall have successfully completed an appropriate course of training approved by the Police Training Commission and an arson investigation training course approved by the Department of Law and Public Safety.

c. Any county fire marshal or assistant fire marshal who is assigned to an arson investigation unit pursuant to this section shall attend and successfully complete in-service training programs for certified arson investigators as required by the Division of Criminal Justice.

d. Any county fire marshal or assistant fire marshal who is assigned to an arson investigation unit pursuant to this section shall have the same powers and authority of a police officer within the municipality while engaging in the actual performance of arson investigation duties.

L.1999,c.351,s.2.