Maryland Deputy State Fire Marshal
Receives International Recognition
Frisco, Texas, May 22, 2018, Fire Investigators from around the world gathered in Frisco,
Texas for the International Association of Arson Investigator’s (IAAI) annual “International
Training Conference” this week. One
Maryland Deputy State Fire Marshal was awarded one of the most prestigious
awards given by the IAAI at a banquet Tuesday evening at the Frisco, TX Convention
Center.
Deputy State Fire Marshal Dexter Hodges received the “Investigator
of the Year” for 2018. Deputy Hodges is
a veteran investigator of the Office of the State Fire Marshal who began his
career with the agency in 2010. Deputy
Hodges is currently assigned to the Upper Eastern Regional Office of the State
Fire Marshal in Easton. That office
covers the counties of Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot for fire and
explosive investigations. Deputy Hodges
is also assigned part time as a Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) out of the Baltimore Field Office. As a Task Force Officer, Deputy Hodges is
sworn with federal arrest powers as a Maryland Deputy State Fire Marshal. His duties include working arson cases that
will be prosecuted on a federal level.
His nomination for the award came from an Assistant Supervisory Special
Agent with the ATF for his hard work and dedication on a series of complex
arson cases in Baltimore and Pennsylvania that lead to an arrest and ultimately
a conviction on numerous federal charges to include the Use of Fire to Commit Wire
Fraud, Malicious Destruction of Property by Fire and Attempted Witness
Tampering. In Deputy Hodges’ nomination
letter, the Assistant Supervisory Special Agent wrote, “TFO/Deputy Hodges’ dedication
and long-term commitment to bring this investigation to fruition demonstrates his
tenacious investigative abilities and efforts.
TFO/Deputy Hodges is an outstanding and exemplary fire investigator, which
is evident by his accomplishments in this investigation.”
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is proud to have one of
its own receive such a prestigious award.
Nominations for this award were open to any fire investigator from
anywhere in the world. The IAAI has over
70 chapters worldwide.
 Deputy Hodges receiving his award from IAAI President Scott Bennett and Awards Chairperson Rose Rozmiarek, 2nd Vice President of IAAI Barry Grimm overlooks.
 ATF Senior Special Agent Clare Jeppi, Deputy State Fire Marshal Dexter Hodges and Deputy Chief State Fire Marshal Matt Stevens at the awards ceremony in Frisco.
 Fire Investigators from Bexar County, Texas Fire Marshal's Office congratulating Deputy Hodges.
The
Office of the State Fire Marshal is an agency of the Department of
State Police dedicated to helping protect citizens from fire and
explosion through a comprehensive program of education,
inspection, investigation and fire protection engineering. For more
information on fire safety call 1-800-525-3124, log onto our website at: Maryland State Fire Marshal and/or our Facebook Page.
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