The Kenton County Fire Investigation Team (KCFIT) operates as a task force under the direction of the Kenton County Police. This means the team is made up with members from multiple police and fire agencies throughout the county. The primary purpose of the team is to assist local fire departments in determining the origin and cause of fires. This involves the scientific process of examining the evidence from the fire and understanding the signs of smoke, heat, and fire on the structure to determine where and how the fire originated.
Most fires are determined to not be criminal in nature. However, if a fire is found to be criminal, the combination of law enforcement and fire fighting allows the case to more seamlessly transfer to a criminal investigation.
The organizational structure of KCFIT combines knowledge of fire dynamics more readily found among fire fighters with the investigative skills more often found among police officers. All members of the KCFIT are expected to receive additional training in fire investigations.
