Introduction

A backpack left on a crowded city street. A gunman’s apartment. A meth lab in an abandoned building. These are all areas where explosives have been found—ready to detonate, endangering lives and property. In today’s law enforcement environment, officers are more sensitive than ever to the possible existence of explosive devices.

The bomb squads who respond to these situations are highly trained to identify explosives and to dispose, disrupt or render them safe. In a situation where an explosion has occurred, investigators will scour the area to piece together clues to help identify the type of device used and gather all available physical evidence or witness testimony that could help lead to the bomber. Fragments of circuit boards, fingerprints, even pieces of pet hair have been used to help narrow the investigation and nab a perpetrator.

Back to top of page ▲