Bureau of Fire Investigation Created in New York
Fire Commissioner Robert Adamson, of New York, on June 30 created a new bureau in the Fire Department, to be known as the Bureau of Fire Investigation. This bureau succeeds the old division of Fire Marshals which has been a part of the Bureau of Fire Prevention. The Division of Fire Marshals is detached by the Commissioner from the Bureau of Fire Prevention and is made into a separate bureau. It is to be reorganized and strengthened throughout. Fire Marshal Thomas P. Brophy, in charge of the Division of Fire Marshals in Brooklyn and Queens, was appointed Chief of the new bureau, and John P. Prial was appointed Deputy Chief. Mr. Prial has been in charge of the Fire Marshals in Manhattan, the Bronx and Richmond since 1912. Chief Brophy’s promotion was made by the Fire Commissioner because of the energetic detective work which he has done in uncovering arson cases in the past. The new bureau went into existence July 1. “This bureau should be the strongest detective bureau in the city, and I intend to make it so,” . the Fire Commissioner said to the Fire Marshals. "It should so impress itself upon the public mind as to inspire terror in the hearts of those who have set fires for money. The class of detective work which you men do is of the most difficult kind, requiring great keenness, intelligence and perseverance. It is up to you men to create a reputation for the new bureau and to stamp out the crime of arson in this city. The Fire Marshals’ work is distinctly detective work, and is of sufficient importance to justify its being conducted under a separate bureau. While its work is indirectly that of fire prevention, there is really no relationship between the work done by the Fire Marshals, which is purely defective, and the work done by the Fire Prevention Inspectors, which is the work of rectifying structural faults in buildings.”
Fire Commissioner Robert Adamson, of New York, on June 30 created a new bureau in the Fire Department, to be known as the Bureau of Fire Investigation. This bureau succeeds the old division of Fire Marshals which has been a part of the Bureau of Fire Prevention. The Division of Fire Marshals is detached by the Commissioner from the Bureau of Fire Prevention and is made into a separate bureau. It is to be reorganized and strengthened throughout. Fire Marshal Thomas P. Brophy, in charge of the Division of Fire Marshals in Brooklyn and Queens, was appointed Chief of the new bureau, and John P. Prial was appointed Deputy Chief. Mr. Prial has been in charge of the Fire Marshals in Manhattan, the Bronx and Richmond since 1912. Chief Brophy’s promotion was made by the Fire Commissioner because of the energetic detective work which he has done in uncovering arson cases in the past. The new bureau went into existence July 1. “This bureau should be the strongest detective bureau in the city, and I intend to make it so,” . the Fire Commissioner said to the Fire Marshals. "It should so impress itself upon the public mind as to inspire terror in the hearts of those who have set fires for money. The class of detective work which you men do is of the most difficult kind, requiring great keenness, intelligence and perseverance. It is up to you men to create a reputation for the new bureau and to stamp out the crime of arson in this city. The Fire Marshals’ work is distinctly detective work, and is of sufficient importance to justify its being conducted under a separate bureau. While its work is indirectly that of fire prevention, there is really no relationship between the work done by the Fire Marshals, which is purely defective, and the work done by the Fire Prevention Inspectors, which is the work of rectifying structural faults in buildings.”
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