San Bernardino City Fire maintains a dedicated investigations unit. Ten personnel staff this unit. The unit administration is located in the Fire Prevention Division. A Captain, who reports to the Fire Marshal, supervises the unit. The staffs of suppression investigators are assigned to Station 222, in the Western portion of the city. This station is designated as the Fire/Arson Investigation Unit station.

The unit leader works a conventional forty-hour workweek. He is the Senior Investigator and the unit leader. This unit leader is responsible for administration, coordination and follow-up research pertaining to all investigations. The Senior Investigator maintains unit protocol, legal updates and schedules unit training activities. The unit leader is also an on-call investigator.

There are nine other personnel certified as Investigators. These individuals are suppression personnel who participate in the program as an on-duty assignment. The department works a three-shift schedule and provides three investigators per shift.

The unit is assigned two vehicles: a staff sedan and a crew cab utility truck. The unit Administrative Captain utilizes the sedan. The crew truck is located at Station 222 and is equipped with unit and mobile radios, a mobile data terminal and investigative tools and equipment.

All unit members hold Peace Officer status, with weapons qualification. The unit has a Use of Force Officer and holds monthly weapons/self defense training at the city owned Firing Range and/or classroom training at selected sites.

Members participate in the unit on a volunteer basis and minimum prerequisites includes: being a three year department veteran, PC 832, formal investigation classes, Department of Justice background checks and 100 hours of on-scene training after being brought into the unit as a candidate