Seymour police detectives and fire marshals were recognized last week for their teamwork and success solving two arson fires this year.
The Connecticut chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators gave its “Outstanding Accomplishment Award” to five Seymour officers and the two members of the Seymour Fire Marshal’s office during its annual seminar in Rocky Hill on Thursday, Nov. 17.
The award references two arson fire investigation in Seymour that netted six arrests.
“It’s a very prestigious award,” Fire Marshal Paul Wetowtiz said. “It goes to show you that when you act as a team with other investigators, the conclusions work out very well.”
Those recognized for their arson investigations were:
- Fire Marshal Paul Wetowitz
- Assistant Fire Marshal Timm Willis
- Detective Steve Ditria
- Detective Ron Goodmaster
- Detective Scott Nihill
- Detective Louis Yustin
- Youth Officer Joe DiNigris
The fires noted by the awards committee were the May 7 arson at the Seymour transfer station and the June 24, 2010 arson at Seymour High School.
Seymour police made two arrests — both juveniles — for the transfer station fire.
They arrested four people — all teenagers — for the Seymour High School fire, which was started after the teens set off fireworks in the lobby by the school’s swimming pool.
Wetowitz and Willis said both investigations took hours of work by both departments — assessing the scene and conducting interviews.
Wetowitz said the cases are not investigated like on crime television shows, where the case is cracked in 60 minutes. It takes weeks of work.
Nomination
The Seymour investigators were nominated for the award by State Trooper Paul Makuc, who works in the state fire marshal’s office and was part of the investigations for both Seymour arson cases noted.
“We wanted to recognize them for a collaborative effort for investigating the fires, being able to follow up on leads and pursue suspects, and ultimately prosecute,” Makuc said. “We see across the state a lot of different cases where there is a criminal aspect, and various fire marshals offices and police departments don’t necessarily have cohesion.”
Makuc said it takes team work to get arrests in arson cases. The fire marshals have the knowledge and skill to be able to identify that a fire was intentionally set, while the police department has the skill to track down suspects and conduct interviews to get warrants.
“So it’s important that the two offices can work together,” Makuc said.
Makuc’s recommendation was supported by Seymour Police Chief Michael Metzler and Seymour Fire Chief Tom Tomasheski.
Article continues after recommendation letter.
“It’s phenomenal that the Seymour police allow the fire marshals into their office, and vice versa,” Willis said Friday. “It most departments there’s a bit of a breakdown in communication.”
“They consider arson a significant crime, the way it should be,” Wetowitz said of the Seymour Police Department. “That is sometimes not the case in other departments.”
Seymour Police spokesman Lt. Paul Satkowski was unable to be reached for comment Friday.
Juveniles
Willis said working with juveniles is more intricate than working with adult suspects, because of special legal rules.
But a large portion of arson fires in the country — and in Seymour — are set by juveniles, Wetowitz said.
He listed several other incidents in Seymour — such as a bathroom fire at Anna LoPresti School last year, and a playground fire outside the school this year — as examples.
“What I’m alarmed at, is that we’re having these types of fires in Seymour that are caused by juveniles,” Wetowitz said.