BOMB TASK FORCE

THE BOMB TASK FORCE WAS CREATED IN 1982,

a time when explosive and bomb-related incidents increased within the county. Local law enforcement agencies came to the consensus that each agency did not have the individual resources to support its own respective bomb squads. Therefore, the San Luis Obispo County Bomb Task Force was formed and the need for a specialized team with unique equipment and 24-hour response capabilities was realized.

In 1982, the Bomb Task Force responded to calls for service. The Bomb Task Force was operated under a coordinated team approach with a thorough commitment from all law enforcement agencies within San Luis Obispo County. Funding resources for equipment and training currently come from the Sheriff’s Office, city police agencies in San Luis Obispo County, and Cal Poly University Police. (FBI). The basic training for a bomb technician is a six-week course at the FBI’s Hazardous Devices School, located at Redstone Arsenal Army Base, in Huntsville, Alabama. Training is ongoing and the bomb technicians are required by the FBI to train a minimum of 288 hours per year.

STRUCTURE OF THE TASK FORCE

The Bomb Task Force is currently made up of 6 members, five of which are Sheriff’s Office deputies and one San Luis Obispo police officer. The Bomb Task Force assignment is a collateral duty, with each team member working various full-time positions with their respective agency.

The Bomb Task Force is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of members of the Criminal Justice Administrators Association of San Luis Obispo County.

The Board of Directors are:

• The County Sheriff

• The Chiefs of Police of each municipal police agency within the county

• The Chief of Police, California

State Polytechnic University

Each team member is required to be a certified Hazardous Devices (Bomb) Technician, who has undergone a thorough background check conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation

TASK FORCE CAPABILITIES

The San Luis Obispo County Bomb Task Force is accredited by the FBI and is certified as a fully operational bomb squad. The Bomb Task Force is capable of safe rendering and disposing of improvised explosive devices, military ordnance, and commercially manufactured explosives. They can respond to all bomb- or explosive-related incidents

within San Luis Obispo County and, upon a mutual aid request, to areas outside the county of San Luis Obispo.

This Bomb Task Force works in conjunction with various state and federal law enforcement agencies including the California Highway Patrol, State Parks and Recreation Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Postal Inspectors, and Department of Homeland Security.

SUPPORT TEAM CONCEPT

Although the Bomb Task Force is a self-sufficient unit, they have an excellent working relationship with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad. A verbal agreement has been established between the two counties to assist each other in their respective counties in times of need. In addition, the Bomb Task Force maintains a close relationship with the 30th Civil Engineer Squadron, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team at Vandenberg Air Force Base, whose military jurisdiction includes this County. The Bomb Task Force will also assist Sheriff’s SED and Regional SWAT if requested.

2021 Calls for Service

The Bomb Task Force responded to 19 explosive devices, or bomb-related calls, in the 2021 calendar year throughout San Luis Obispo County. The explosive-related calls consisted of hoax devices, IEDs, military ordnance, illegal fireworks, and suspicious chemical devices.