FLINT, Mich. (AP) - A newspaper reports that Flint is spending less time and money investigating arsons and making fewer arrests for the crime even though the city leads the nation in arsons per capita.
The Flint Journal reports that it obtained payroll records through the Freedom of Information Act. It says two arson investigators employed by the departments are on pace to spend almost 500 fewer hours on the job with a savings of more than $13,000 in overtime costs this year than in 2012.
The number of reported arsons has decreased in recent years, but FBI statistics show the city still had the highest per capita rate of arsons in 2012.
Fire Chief David Cox says it makes sense that time spent investigating arsons has decreased with budget cutbacks.
