Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton A series of investigations are underway or will be underway regarding how Michael Burham was able to escape from the Warren County Jail. The most pressing is a criminal probe into last Thursday night’s escape.

An ongoing investigation into how Michael Burham was able to escape from the Warren County Jail has found evidence of an “extensive amount of preparation” by the high-profile inmate.

And attempts to secure video from county officials in the immediate wake of the incident were delayed, giving Burham a 60- to 90-minute head start.

That’s according to city of Warren Police Chief Joe Sproveri, whose department is handling the investigation into the zescape.

The investigation is in the hands of city police because of the location of the jail, Sproveri said, in the department’s “primary jurisdiction” — the city of Warren.

He said all criminal incidents that occur in the jail are investigated by his department. The initial scope of the search — within the City of Warren — is why the early stages of the search were coordinated by the department.

City police, though, have no role in the operation of the jail. That falls on county government, namely the county commissioners.

While the investigation will be “lengthy” and “intensive,” Sproveri detailed the initial response as well as the early stages of the search, which has now stretched into a fifth full day.

Burham, per Sproveri, was last seen on cameras at the county jail at 11:23 p.m. Thursday. City officers were dispatched at approximately 11:25 and on scene by 11:27 p.m.

He said there was an “approximately four- to five-minute delay” from the last time Burnham was “observed on camera in the yard until the first officers were on scene.”

Based on this timeline, city officers were on scene just two minutes after they were dispatched. Sproveri said the department aims, once notified, to be “on scene anywhere in the city within two to three minutes.”

Sproveri said the first information provided to city police was that Burham was on the roof.

The first step was a “perimeter search,” which is “when the rope was discovered” — the tied bed sheets that allowed Burham to rappel down the western side of the courthouse.

“It was known,” Sprovieri said, then that Burham “more than likely was no longer on the roof and a perimeter was set up.” All available agencies — state police, Chautauqua County as well as local agencies such as Conewango Township, Youngsville and the Sheriff’s Office, were called in at that stage.

We started to do area searches,” he said.

But conducting that detail was complicated by the fact that officers were unable to promptly get access to exterior courthouse camera footage. “There were difficulties accessing the videos from the outside of the courthouse,” Sproveri explained. “We weren’t able to access the outside video for 60 to 90 minutes. At that point, we learned his direction of travel.”

He said he was told that “technical difficulties” and having to call in IT staff were the reason for the delay.

Understanding that direction of travel is critical.

“There was a significant time delay before we knew where the track was to put the K-9,” he said. “(We) need a pretty specific location to start running a dog trail.”

And they didn’t have the direction of travel because they didn’t have the video. “It set us back with really being able to fully take advantage of the K-9 units for an hour, hour and a half,” he said.

Burham had left the courthouse property onto Fifth Avenue at the rear of the building. Once that information was finally obtained, officers were able to “immediately” get K-9s on the scent, which clearly was not successful.

From there, Sproveri said officers cleared approximately 15 blocks on foot.

“We spent several hours through the rest of the night into the morning daylight,” he said.

That’s when state police aerial units and drones from Chautauqua County were added to the effort. “We continued searching and also responding to calls,” he said, until the search “area expanded into the Clarendon area, the Allegheny National Forest.”

At that point, the decision was made to transfer command of the search to the Pennsylvania State Police.

Sproveri said that staff at the county jail are cooperating in the investigation.

Police are reviewing audio and video from the entire period Burham has been incarcerated at the county jail. Investigators also have been given access to areas of the jail to seek evidence.

He called this a “very in-depth” investigation with many moving pieces and added that people who may have helped Burham will be held accountable.

As for how Burham may have acquired the number of bed sheets needed for his escape?

“That’s what we’re working through,” Sproveri said.

How long the investigation will take isn’t clear either.

“It all depends on where the investigation leads,” Sproveri stressed. “This is going to be a lengthy, intensive investigation. We have already started. (There are) more interviews to do with inmates and staff alike.”

Sproveri said that city police continue to provide manpower to the Pennsylvania State Police when required.

“We are all working together,” he said, citing “good communication” among all local, state and federal agencies involved in the manhunt.

Burham had been scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing at 11 a.m. today.