
Ryan specializes in fire and explosion investigations and has 23 years of experience working for the Calgary Police Service, including three years in the Homicide Unit and three in the Joint Forces Arson Unit. During his tenure with the Police Service, Ryan was awarded the Exemplary Service Medal and earned his CFEI and CVFI designations. To date, Ryan has investigated over 1,200 residential, commercial and vehicle fires and/or explosions and has been utilized by public policing agencies and private insurers to assess/conduct and assist with civil and criminal investigations, both ongoing or under review. Additionally, Ryan works regularly with law firms requiring detailed analysis of fire investigations, both public and private, civil and criminal, and has been designated as an expert witness within the discipline of fire investigation by the Provincial Court of Alberta and the Court of Kings Bench. He is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI).
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI)
Fire Investigation Association of Alberta (FIAA)
Exemplary Service Medal (2012)
Distinguished Service Award (2012)
Chiefs Award for Life Saving (1995)
Vice President Western Canada and Forensic Investigator, Origin and Cause Incorporated,
Calgary, Alberta
April 2024 – Present
Promoted to Vice President of Western Canada. Responsible for overseeing operations and business development in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.
Alberta and British Columbia Branch Manager and Forensic Investigator, Origin and Cause Incorporated
Calgary, Alberta
July 2022 – April 2024
Promoted to Branch Manager for both British Columbia and Alberta. Responsible for managing all business operations, business development, technical reviews and signing off on all outgoing investigative reporting, staffing and maintaining assigned investigations.
Fire & Explosion Investigator, Origin and Cause Incorporated,
Calgary, Alberta
September 2014 – July 2022
Calgary Police Services,
Calgary, Alberta
February 1991 – June 2014
Date of retirement – June 2014
Joint Forces Arson Unit (Detective) – March 2011
Major Crimes Homicide Unit (Detective) – July 2007
General Investigative Unit 3 District (Detective) – September 2002
General Investigative Unit 2 District (Detective) – June 2001
Detective promotion and assigned to G8 Summit – September 2001
General Investigative Unit 1 District (A/Detective) – September 2000
Date of hire (Constable) – February 1991
2021 CFEI – Interviewing Techniques and Statement Taking – June 2021
Presenter to the Calgary Fire Department
February 2013
Search and Seizure
Legal grounds and warrant application for criminal proceedings
Current investigative trends
Disclosure and its effect on investigations
Advanced Forensic Fire Death Investigation
SLOFIST Inc.
San Luis Obispo, CA
June 24-28, 2024
Observe 14 live burn scenarios, utilizing 16 training aids (cadavers), both in vehicles and various structures (tent, building, vehicle, trailer, open field) including fuel packages. Participating in the ignition sequence and observing extinguishment followed by a field autopsy. Additional advanced scenario conducted to determine origin and cause, along with determination of manor/cause of death followed by a case presentation at the San Luis Obispo County Courthouse to a United States District Attorney for criminal charge consideration.
Fire Dynamics in the Wildland
IAAI and CFI Trainer
November 2023
Fire Chemistry
IAAI and CFI Trainer
September 2023
Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Fires
IAAI and CFI Trainer
September 2023
Critical Evaluations and Testing of Commonly Reported Accidental Causes
IAAI and CFI Trainer
September 2023
Science of Fire and Explosion Hazards from Lithium-Ion Batteries
UL Fire Safety Research Institute
August 2023
Fire Investigative Training Program
National Association of Fire Investigators
Denver, CO
June 2023
Natural Gas and Propane Explosions
Origin and Cause Inc
June 2023
Fire Investigation Wildfire Investigation
FireWise Consulting & Learning Academy
May 2023
Investigating Farm Machinery Losses
Origin and Cause Inc.
May 2023
Fire Effects: Combustion By-Products Effects
IAAI and CFI Trainer
May 2023
Explosion Dynamics
IAAI and CFI Trainer
January 5, 2023
Explosion Dynamics
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
December 2022
Wildland Fire Investigations
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
May 2022
Arc Mapping Basics
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
November 2021
Basic Electricity
International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
November 2021
Arc Mapping Basics
International Association of Arson Investigators
November 2021
Tortured Minds
Vancouver, BC
January 2014
Husky Energy National Safety Conference
Banff, AB
October 2013
Vehicle Investigation Certification (CVEI Designation)
National Association of Fire Investigators
September 2013
SLOFIST Fire Death Investigation
San Luis Obispo Fire Investigation Strike Team Coroner’s Division
San Luis Obispo, CA
June 2012
War on Grow Ops Conference
ALERT
Banff, AB
March 2012
Deception Detection Techniques,
United States Department of Homeland Security
Calgary, AB
April 2012
Police Explosive Technician Assistant/Post Blast Investigation (5 Day)
Calgary Police Service Tactical Unit Bomb Unit.
December 2011
Advanced Fire Investigation Workshop
Dr. John DeHaan
Lethbridge, AB
November 2011
Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI Designation)
National Association of Fire Investigators
Newport Beach, CA
March 2011
Internet Research Techniques Master Class: Deep Internet Searching
Toddington International and Security Professional Information Exchange (SPIE)
Calgary, AB
September 2010
Cognitive Interviewing
Calgary Police Service
Calgary, AB
March 2010
Death and Homicide
PATC
Las Vegas, NV
March 2009
Alberta Homicide Conference and Seminar
Calgary Police Service
Calgary, AB
October 2008
Major Crimes Undercover Workshop
Calgary, AB
June 2008
Advanced Forensic Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques
RCMP and Alberta Justice
May 2008
Sudden Death Investigations. “Golden Triangle”
Alberta Justice with the Calgary Medical Examiner’s Office
Red Deer, AB
May 2008
Advanced Driver Training
RCMP
Calgary, AB
December 2007
Advanced Interviewing and Interrogation
E. Reid and Associates
July 2005
DNA Sampling
Calgary Police Service Crime Scenes Unit
June 2005
Counter Terrorism Training
RCMP, CCIS
Calgary, Alberta
March 2005
Serious Habitual Offenders
Red Deer, AB
November 2004
Source Agent Workshop
PATC
Edmonton, AB
February 2003
Man tracking Techniques,
Emergency Response Institute. Richard Smith
Calgary, AB
April 2000
Surveillance, Level 1
Calgary Police Service
Calgary, AB
March 2000