Richland Bomb Squad Kept Busy As Public Becomes More Aware

April was a busy month for the Richland police bomb squad.

Since April 2, the squad was called out six times.

Five of the occasions yielded real bombs.

Most of the bombs the unit handles are old explosives discovered in sheds, or old military souvenirs people believe may be dangerous.

But last month, the squad destroyed two pipe bombs, one in Othello and one in Kennewick, and was called out to Benton City to assist with a cache of explosives that included a pipe bomb and a dummy military mine that showed signs of tampering.

Since the April 19 blast in Oklahoma City that destroyed a federal building there have been an increased number of calls about bombs.

“The things that have been going on in the last two weeks heighten people’s awareness,” police Capt. Mark Panther said.

That means more demand for the special unit’s services, which range from actual explosives disposal to talks for businesses on how to handle bomb threats.

Not everything the squad comes across packs a punch.

This winter, Panther and squad members Cpl. Larry Bradford went to Hermiston, Ore., to examine a suspicious metal package left in front of a fire station.

Panther donned the special bombdisposal suit - 100 pounds of ballistic armor and a helmet - to handle the mysterious box.

It turned out to be a funeral urn containing a person’s ashes.

It was apparently returned by a car thief who discovered it in the car he had stolen.