Bomb Squad
Hazardous Devices Squad
Background:
Due to the domestic terrorist bombings of the World Trade Center and the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, the Jackson Police Department realized that a growing city like Jackson, Tennessee, could easily be a target for similar incidents. In 1992, the Jackson Police Department Hazardous Devices Squad was formed to deal with these incidents.
Unit Mission:
The primary mission of the Hazardous Devices Squad is to render safe any found Military, Commercial, or Improvised Explosive Device or Material.
Unit Organization:
The Hazardous Devices Squad is an attachment of the Patrol Division and is responsible to the Patrol Division Commander. The Hazardous Devices Squad consists of 2 part-time members, who have other full-time duty assignments, but are on call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. The requirements for the Hazardous Devices Unit are to have 2 years with the department, for there to be an opening in the squad, and to be chosen by the Patrol Division Commander.
Training:
The training consists of a 5-week school at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The school is paid for by the FBI, and is taught by the Military, FBI, and civilian instructors. Every Bomb Technician must return every 3 years for a 1-week refresher course. The members of the Hazardous Devices Squad also train 8 hours a month to keep their skills up.
Equipment:
The Hazardous Devices Squad is equipped and trained with a vast array of specialized equipment. The specialized equipment is designed and used to protect the Bomb Technician and to render safe any Hazardous Devices that they may encounter. The following is a list of some of the specialized equipment utilized by the Hazardous Devices Squad:
- Bomb Suit
- X-ray Machine
- PAN Disrupter
- Hand Tools
- Various Explosives (C4, DET CORD, Blasting Caps, Etc.)
Summary:
The Hazardous Devices Squad is a group of highly trained and dedicated officers that volunteer for the position. Unlike other dangerous positions in the Jackson Police Department, the Hazardous Devices Squad will have to take "The Longest Walk" down an explosive device by themselves, without any backup. But with the proper training and equipment it won't be "The Last Walk".
