Mr. Michael Dettman served as the Fire Chief of the Sterling Fire Department in Sterling, Illinois.  He currently holds certification as a Certified Fire Explosion Investigator with the National Association of Fire Investigators. He is also certified as a Evidence Collection Technician with the International Association of Arson Investigators. He has held the ranks of Firefighter, Lieutenant, and Captain as well as serving as Deputy Chief. Mr. Dettman has currently served on several boards as well as a field staff instructor for the University of Illinois Fire Service Institute.  Mr. Dettman has taught for the Sauk Valley Community College in the fire science program instructing the Basic Firefighters program as well as the company officers’ program. He served as the City of Sterling’s Emergency Management Director for all man-made and natural disasters. Mr. Dettman started his career in the fire service in 1989 as a volunteer firefighter in the Charleston, South Carolina, area while serving in the United States Navy. Upon honorable discharge from the Navy, Mr. Dettman was employed with the Town of Mount Pleasant South Carolina Fire Department for a period of 2 years before returning to Illinois.

Mr. Dettman has an in-depth knowledge of fire codes as well as suppression systems and building construction.  He has worked in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies as well as the Office of the State Fire Marshal Investigators to investigate fire origin and cause as well as collect evidence as needed to support conclusions of incendiary fires.

• IAAI Certified Fire Investigator Certification: #12-0910138
• Certified Fire Investigator: Illinois State Fire Marshall
• Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) Certification: #27026-15995
• IAAI Evidence Collection Technician (ECT) Certification: #1195
• Certified Fire Officer I: Illinois State Fire Marshall
• Certified Fire Officer II: Illinois State Fire Marshall
• Certified Hazardous Materials Technician “A”: Illinois State Fire Marshall
• Fire Service Vehicle Operator
• Certified Firefighter III
• Certified Fire Instructor III
• Hazardous Materials Incident Commander
• Chief Fire Officer Provisional
• Incident Safety Officer
• Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention Specialist
• 2022- IAAI Illinois Chapter Distinguished Team Award
• International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) (2021-Present)
• National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) (2022-Present)
• Illinois Fire Chiefs Association Board (2020-2024)
• Field Staff University of Illinois Fire Service Institute (2005-Present)
• International Association of Fire Chiefs (2009-Present)
• Annual Fire Department Instructors Conference: Senior Staff, Indiana (2012-Present)
• Texas State University Forensic Fire Death Course: Engineering Team Member, Collin County, Texas (2023-Present)