299F.05 LAW ENFORCEMENT POWERS; INFORMATION SYSTEM.
Subdivision 1.
Investigation, arrest, and prosecution. On determining that reasonable
grounds exist to believe that a violation of sections
609.561 to
609.576 has occurred or that some
other crime has occurred in connection with a fire investigated pursuant to section
299F.04, the
state fire marshal shall so inform the law enforcement authority having jurisdiction, who shall
cooperate with the fire marshal and local fire officials in further investigating the reported incident
in a manner that may include supervising and directing the subsequent criminal investigation and
taking the testimony on oath of all persons supposed to be cognizant of any facts relating to the
matter under investigation. On determining that there is evidence sufficient to charge any person
with a violation of sections
609.561 to
609.576, or of any other crime in connection with an
investigated fire, the authority having jurisdiction shall have the person arrested and charged with
the offense and furnish to the proper prosecuting attorney all relevant evidence, together with the
copy of all names of witnesses and all the information obtained by the authority or the state fire
marshal, including a copy of all pertinent and material testimony taken in the case.
Subd. 2.
Information system. The state fire marshal shall maintain a record of arrests,
charges filed, and final disposition of all fires reported and investigated under sections
299F.04
and
299F.05. For this purpose, the Department of Public Safety shall implement a single reporting
system utilizing the systems operated by the fire marshal. The system must be operated in such a
way as to minimize duplication and discrepancies in reported figures.
History: (5956) 1913 c 564 s 7; 1978 c 777 s 4; 1986 c 444; 2005 c 136 art 9 s 6