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Board adopts ordinance to expand fire marshal powers and approves MOU with sheriff's office
Summary
The board amended county code to give the fire marshal and qualified deputies law-enforcement powers for fire-related investigations (arrest, warrants, enforcement of the Statewide Fire Prevention Code) and approved an MOU with the sheriff's office clarifying investigative responsibilities; the MOU passed with four ayes and one abstention.
The board held a public hearing and adopted an ordinance to revise Chapter 10 (Fire Prevention and Protection), granting the county fire marshal, deputy and assistant marshals authority to investigate and prosecute fire-related offenses and, for trained chiefs or deputies, certain police powers including arrest and serving warrants for violations of fire-safety laws. County Attorney Tyler Southall said the draft code largely follows Hanover County's approach and limits the exercise of police powers to marshals who have completed specified training.
"The fire marshal would be given the same police powers as the sheriff, police officer, or other law enforcement officer, and the fire marshal, deputies, and assistants shall be responsible for the investigation and prosecution of all offenses occurring within the county," Southall explained. The ordinance also authorizes the fire marshal to issue, suspend and revoke permits and to enter property to investigate hazardous-material releases under applicable law; no members of the public signed up to speak at the hearing and the board approved the ordinance by roll call (all voting aye).
Following the ordinance, the board approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Dinwiddie County Sheriff's Office and Fire & EMS to coordinate investigative responsibilities and credentialing for major incidents. The sheriff's office indicated agreement and the board voted to authorize the county administrative chief of Fire & EMS to execute the MOU; the roll call recorded four ayes and one abstention (Supervisor Dooley abstained due to employment with the sheriff's office).
