About us
Training Undertaken
In 1989 Ken qualified as a Detective and as part of his training he was worked on the then Christchurch Arson Squad.
In June 2002, he undertook the Advanced Criminal Investigation Branch Investigators Course.
In September 2003, he attended and passed the Advanced Cause and Origin Fire Investigation Course with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centre, Glynco, Georgia, and USA.
In July 2005, he undertook training with the Melbourne Fire and Emergency Service, Fire Investigation and Analysis Unit, and sat and passed Level 5 of the Australian Fire Competency Standard in Fire Investigation and Fire Technology and obtained their National Certificate.
In October 2006, he completed and passed the National Rural Fire Authority Course, International Unit Standard in Wildfire Investigations.
In October 2007, he undertook refresher training with the Melbourne Fire and Emergency Service, Fire Investigation and Analysis Unit. He was assessed and was deemed to be competent to the following Australian registered Fire Investigation elements.
- Fire Scene Safety
- The Fire Investigation Process
- Identification, Gathering and Preservation of Evidence
- Examination and Analysis of Evidence
- Interview, Motives, Reporting and Multi-Agency Roles
- Factors Influencing Fire Behaviour
- Fire Scene Examination and Advanced Investigation
He also attended a number of specialised courses and training, including personal instruction in Fatal Fire Investigation with Dr John DE HAAN, the author of “Kirk’s Fire Investigation” who is a recognised world expert in fire and arson investigation.
From September 2013 to July 2015, Ken studied and completed the Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Fire Investigation) through the Canberra Institute of Technology.
As part of his professional development, Ken underwent the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), Certified Fire Investigator Training (CFI) Program which included modules such as:
- A Ventilation-Focused Approach to the Impact of Building Structures and Systems on Fire Development.
- Arc Mapping Basics.
- Insurance and the Fire Investigation
- Motive, Means, and Opportunity: Determining Responsibility in an Arson Case.
- Physical Evidence at the Fire Scene.
- The Scientific Method for Fire and Explosion Investigation.
- Ken is currently one of only three New Zealand holders of the IAAI (International Association of Arson Investigators) qualification Certified Fire Investigator (CFI). The CFI Programme acknolwdges experetise and encourages continuing education and training in the field of fire investigation. Today, more than ever, there are continuing changes in the field of fire investigation, many things have made the job in determining fire origin and cause extremely challenging. One way of meeting that challenge and to keep pace with the many changes as a CFI. The CFI Programme acknolwdges experetise and encourages continuing education and training in the field of fire investigation.
- Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Fire Investigation) - Canberra Institute of Technology
- Advanced Cause and Origin Fire Investigation - ATFE
- National Certificate, Level 5 of the Australian Fire Competency Standard in Fire Investigation and Fire Technology
- National Rural Fire Authority, International Unit Standard in Wildfire Investigations
- New Zealand Police Diploma in Policing
- Victorian Police Bushfire Arson Course
- New Zealand Association of Fire Investigators Inc. NZAFI (formally FIANZ). Ken is the immediate past President of the Fire Investigators Association of New Zealand Inc.(now NZAFI)
- Institution of Fire Engineers. (IFE)
- Victorian Association of Fire Investigators Inc. (VAFI)
- International Association of Arson Investigators. (IAAI)
- Detectives on the Advanced Investigators Course
- Detectives Qualifying Course
- Criminal Investigation Trainees
- Scene of Crimes Officers
- New Zealand Fire Service Fire Safety Investigators
- Introduction to Basic Fire Science in Fire Investigation
- Fire Investigation Fire Scene Safety
- Fire Investigation Process & Investigative Techniques
- Principles of Fire Investigation
- Electrical Fires scene Examination and Indicators
- Molotov Cocktails
- Incendiary devices
- Electrical Testing
- Use of X-rays
- Recovery of fingerprints/DNA from fire scenes
- Regional Rural Fire Committee Chairman's Conference on Managing Fire Investigation.
- Australasian Loss Adjusters, New Zealand conference on multiple scene examination.
- In September 2007, he briefed the Australian Federal Police representatives in fire scene coordination.
- In October 2007, he was the keynote speaker for the Victorian Association of Fire Investigators 2007 Conference, on managing and conducting multi scene and major investigations.
- New Zealand Fire Service National Fire Risk Management Conference on Arson Reduction - A Police/Fire Initiative.
- In 2008, he spoke to the Victoria Police Arson & Explosion Forum on Fatal Fire Investigation.
- In 2009, he spoke to the New Zealand Coroners’ conference on fatal fire investigation.
- In September 2010, he spoke to the Australian Association of Fire Investigators conference on fire investigations.
- In Novemober 2019, he spoke to the Australian Association of Fire Investigators conference on use of social media in fire investigations.
In 2017 and 2018 Ken attended the IAAI International Training Conference in the USA and completed and passed the General Sessions examination.
In November 2017 Ken attended the IAAI Complex Fire Investigation for the Insurance Industry course at the National Center for Explosive Training and Research, at Huntsville Alabama
In September 2019 Ken attended and passed the Victorian Police Bushfire Arson Investigation Course.
Qualifications
Professional Membership
Ken is a member of:
Training Delivery
Ken has conducted training for the New Zealand Police and New Zealand Fire Service in Fire and Arson Investigation for:
Between 2004 and 2010 he was responsible for the conducting of the Fire and Arson Investigation Induction Course for the South Island CIB Training Services.
As part of the training for the Fire Investigation course he wrote or extracted the following papers given to trainees:
He also had input to the New Zealand Police Best Practise Manuel for Arson Investigation Best Practice 2010.
Testing and Reconstruction
As part of the training delivery and for professional development he has set a variety of compartment fires in controlled circumstances and has completely burnt four different structures to study fire growth and fire behaviour.
He has also been involved in the investigation of a large number of vehicle fires and has set a variety of different fires in approximately 30 vehicles while conducting fire investigations, training and investigation testing.
Areas of testing and research have included:
Overseas Investigations
In November 2004, Ken assisted the Samoan Police, Prison and Fire Service, regarding an investigation at a major fire in SV McKenzie’s warehouse in Fugalei, Samoa.
In July 2005, he attended and investigated six fires with Melbourne Fire and Emergency Service, Fire Investigation and Analysis Unit, Victoria, Australia.
In November and December 2006, he was the Fire Investigation Co-ordinator for the New Zealand Police, assisting the Tongan Government and Police investigating the fires and arsons in Nuku’alofa, after the riots on 16 November.
Ken conducted forensic fire investigations in Vunimono Fiji November 2014 and again in Wailevu, Labasa, Fiji in July 2015.
Lectures and Training Delivery
Ken has conducted training and delivered lectures to a number of professional organisations involved in Fire Investigation, both in New Zealand and Australia including:
As part of his role as the New Zealand Police Fire investigator Ken attended, conducted or co-ordinated more than 250 fire or arson investigations in New Zealand, Samoa, Victoria and Tonga.
As of December 2021, Ken has conducted over 600 investigations or peer reviews on behalf of insurance companies, legal firms, and private clients in New Zealand and the Pacific.
