Job Responsibilities

The Bomb Squad is assigned to the Homeland Defense Bureau under the Homeland Security Division. The squad is under the direction of a lieutenant and comprised of 8 detectives and a sergeant. The Bomb Squad has the responsibility of responding to bombings and conducting the post-blast investigation. Bomb Technicians also perform render-safe procedures on all found explosives and incendiary devices in the City of Phoenix. Their duties include investigating bomb threats, providing training to police recruits, citizen groups and assisting businesses in establishing emergency procedures for bomb-related incidents. They also conduct vulnerability assessments and assist the Department’s Special Assignment Unit with tactical operations.

Training Requirements

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has the responsibility of certifying bomb technicians for police departments throughout the United States. The FBI Hazardous Devices School is located at the Redstone Arsenal, near Huntsville, Alabama. This course is designed to familiarize officers with the tools and equipment that are used in this highly specialized field and provides the basic skills that are necessary to become a bomb technician. Bomb Technicians must be familiar with electronics, x-ray interpretation, hazardous materials and other job-related skills. In the State of Arizona, there are a limited number of certified bomb squads. This requires that each squad maintain a good working relationship with other departments to properly respond to manpower intensive situations. The FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms assist us with this critical mission. Most technicians are also certified HazMat technicians through the state of Arizona . Many have attended other specialized schools such as the United Kingdom ’s IEDD course, breaching schools and other specialty training.

Specialized Equipment

The Bomb Squad has two equipment trucks that are used to transport the various pieces of equipment that the technicians use on their calls. The trucks carry bomb suits, x-ray equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus, personal protective equipment, cameras and other needed tools. The Phoenix Police Bomb Squad has two robots a Remotec Andros F6A and a Mini-Andros. Robots are often used to remotely manipulate suspicious devices. The robots have several mounted cameras that the technician will use to drive the robot to a suspicious device. The robot can be utilized to take x-rays and perform other tasks that assist in the diagnostic aspect of our job. The squad also has a Total Containment Vessel that can be used to transport suspicious packages or explosives from a crime scene. The vessel is designed to withstand the detonation of high explosives and not compromise the integrety of the sphere.

Explosive Detection

The Bomb Squad has two canine teams that can be used to assist the bomb technicians on calls. The canine handlers, who are certified bomb technicians, attend a canine handler school at Lackland Air Force Base, near San Antonio , Texas . Once the canine handlers graduate from this school, they continue to train with their dogs weekly. Canines have a keen sense of smell that is hundreds of times better than a human being. The canines live with the officer and are taken to work each day in a car that has been modified to allow its safe transportation to work each day. The Bomb Squad has additional hand-held monitors that can also be used to detect explosives.

Job Experience

The Bomb Squad has more than 170 years of combined police experience. Several of the officers served in various branches of the military and one, Detective Joe Oviatt, continues to serve in the Army National Guard as the First Sergeant of the 362nd Ordnance Company [EOD].