The Phoenix Fire Investigations Task Force is a partnership with Phoenix Fire and Phoenix Police Departments. Comprised of 14 fire Captain/Investigators and four police Detectives, the unit is responsible for investigating suspicious fires and other incidents as requested by Command.
The task force is also responsible for the Youth Fire Setter Program dedicated to assisting youth and their families with the issues related to fire curiosity, fire experimentation, and fire setting.
Sonny the Arson Dog
The Phoenix Investigations Task Force is lucky to have one of two arson dogs in the State of Arizona. Sonny is a three-year old Golden Retriever/Yellow Labrador mix. He and his handler, Captain Rob Simpson, were first certified in 2019. Their training was conducted by Paul Gallagher, known for his K-9 training of drug, bomb, and accelerant detection. Gallagher runs the training program for State Farm Insurance, who sponsored Sonny.
