Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement officers Keith Dedmon and Justin Smith completed Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination certification.
The course provides a consistent knowledge and skill base for wildland fire investigators. The concepts taught in the course help an investigator carry out their duties on a national basis without regard to geographic boundaries.
The week-long course was hosted in Macon, Georgia by the Georgia Forestry Commission. Participants were from six different states including Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Georgia.
The Department’s Law Enforcement officers investigate agricultural crimes that affect any part of Arkansas’s diverse agricultural industry, and enforce the laws and regulations of all agencies under the Department including the Forestry Division, Natural Resources Division, Plant Industries Division, and Livestock and Poultry Division. Investigators work with state, local, and county law enforcement to investigate crimes. Common investigations include wildfire arson, timber theft, livestock theft, agricultural and forestry equipment theft or vandalism, and enforcement of an array of Department regulations.
