PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT DIRECTIVE 4.5 Issued Date: 05-10-13 Effective Date: 05-10-13 Updated Date: SUBJECT: BOMB SCARES, EXPLOSIVE DEVICES AND EXPLOSIONS 1. POLICY A. The discovery of explosive materials, precursor explosive chemicals, commercial or military explosives, deteriorating energetic chemicals (e.g. Ether and Picric Acid), suspicious devices or ANY event resulting in an explosion will be processed and investigated by members of the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) in conjunction with the Detective Division of Occurrence. Explosive material will also include fireworks and Molotov cocktails found with any mechanical initiation sources (batteries, wiring, switches etc.) still intact. NOTE: M-80s or M-100s and common class "c" fireworks such as firecrackers and bottle rockets can be extremely dangerous and will only be handled by qualified Bomb Disposal personnel. Additionally, military items that have been taken out of the military's jurisdiction can also be extremely dangerous due to possible booby traps and other hazards. Only qualified Bomb Disposal personnel will handle these items. B. In the event of loss of life or life-threatening injuries, the investigation will be the responsibility of the Homicide Unit with technical support rendered from the Bomb Disposal Unit. C. A "Bomb Scare" at any location which no explosive device is discovered will be investigated by the Detective Division of Occurrence. D. During a "Bomb Scare", the responsibility for a building's evacuation shall lie with the owner/manager of the building NOT with the Police Department. When an explosive device is discovered or an explosion has taken place, the responsibility to evacuate will rest with the highest ranking Police Department supervisor/commander on the scene. E. Only Certified Hazardous Device Technicians from the Bomb Disposal Unit shall examine, render safe, and transport any found explosive material. The Bomb Disposal Unit will be the final authority on the method of disposal. DIRECTIVE 4.5-1
F. The Philadelphia Police Department will use the Incident Command System (ICS). Members will work within the ICS position descriptions and follow the designated reporting relationships, regardless of their non-emergency positions/ranks or everyday administrative chain of command. G. The first supervisor/commander from Regional Operations Command (ROC) arriving on the scene where explosive material is found or when an explosion has occurred shall be the Incident Commander (IC). The Incident Commander may be relieved by a higher ranking official from the ROC or Command Inspections Bureau (CIB). Transfer of the Incident Command should depend on the nature of the incident and the abilities of the person handling the incident. The Incident Commander is responsible for: 1. Having clear authority over the incident. 2. Ensuring incident safety. 3. Establishing an Incident Command Post. 4. Setting priorities and determining incident objective and strategies. 5. Establishing the ICS organization needed to manage the incident. H. The Bomb Disposal Unit and its associated command structure are part of the Operations Section that fall under the command of the Incident Commander. The Chief of Operations Section (a sergeant through Chief Inspector may become the Chief of Operations) is responsible for managing all tactical operations at the bomb related incident. Major responsibilities of the Operation Section Chief are to: 1. Maintain close contact and take direction from the Incident Commander. 2. Consult with and provide briefings to the IC. 3. Assure safety of tactical operations. 4. Manage tactical operations. I. No explosive material will be permitted inside any police installation except designated Police Academy locations. J. Officers should refrain from entering any crime scene where explosive material has been found or where an explosion has occurred until the Bomb Disposal Unit has secured the area as safe and eliminated the possibility of a secondary device unless it is to render life saving aid. The Incident Commander will make the decision to enter an unsecured site only after consulting with the Operations Section Chief and weighing the risk to personnel with the possibility of saving life. DIRECTIVE 4.5-2
2. RESPONSIBILITIES AT A BOMB SCARE A. Police Radio will: 1. Notify Bomb Disposal, Canine, and Counter-Terror Operations of the bomb threat location and the particulars. 2. Notify Fire Board that radio transmissions shall not be made in the vicinity of the incident and make the following announcement to all police personnel: "POLICE PERSONNEL WILL DISCONTINUE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS IN THE AREA OF UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE." NOTE: Police officers may broadcast over Police radio, use cell phones or MDCs under exigent/emergency conditions only when the following conditions are met: REDACTED - LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE b. Officers must be under/behind hard cover (buildings, wall, etc.) and never be in line of sight (direct distance with unobstructed view) of any suspect item/device. Remember if you can see it it can injure/kill you. 3. Inform Fire Board that no equipment is necessary at this time. 4. Dispatch a patrol supervisor and one patrol officer. If the District supervisor is unavailable, notify adjoining district supervisor. 5. Instruct other police personnel to stay clear of the area. 6. Notify the Detective Division supervisor in the Division of Occurrence. B. First responder on the scene (District Patrol Supervisor/Officer) will: 1. Upon arrival, alert those responsible for the building (manager/owner) about the bomb scare and gather any pertinent information. If the building is unoccupied, attempt to contact the owner/manager. 2. Establish telephone communication with Police Radio. NOTE: Until a safe perimeter is established, MDTs and cell phones will not be used. 3. Detain suspects and transport to the Detective Division of Occurrence. DIRECTIVE 4.5-3
C. The Incident Commander (initially the District Patrol Supervisor) will only be relieved by a person of higher rank from the ROC or CIB and: 1. Request additional or resume unnecessary personnel. 2. Ascertain whether the owner/manager has a "Bomb Scare Response Plan" and if so, is it going to be activated. (Many large businesses have such a plan.) 3. Inform Police personnel not to touch or move any suspicious device. 4. Ensure that Police personnel only conduct a search alongside individuals who are familiar with the layout and contents of the building enabling them to identify suspicious items. THIS IS THE ONLY TIME NON-CERTIFIED POLICE PERSONNEL WILL ASSIST IN A SEARCH. (Note: The search should begin from an entrance/exit point working into the building so a clear evacuation route is established should a device be found.) 5. When a device is found, ensure that all search operations are immediately terminated. Further searches will be conducted by Bomb Disposal personnel. NOTE: Patrol Supervisors may utilize an explosive detection K-9 to search only specifically identified threat areas within buildings (e.g., locker room, garage). Canines are NOT to be utilized to investigate items or packages that have already been deemed as suspect in nature. Only the Bomb Disposal Unit will clear suspect items. 3. RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN A SUSPECTED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE IS FOUND A. The Incident Commander (Patrol Supervisor) will only be relieved by a person of higher rank from the ROC or CIB and: REDACTED - LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE 2. Inform Police Radio immediately by landline telephone and request proper notifications be made. 3. Provide Police Radio with as much available data concerning the device or explosive material as possible including: a. Type (if known) b. Dimensions c. Materials d. Exact location DIRECTIVE 4.5-4
NOTE: Police personnel will not be put at risk to obtain this information. 4. Establish staging area and open telephone communications line. 5. Ensure no one enters the perimeter or effected building/area and the material is not touched or moved until the Bomb Disposal Unit arrives. 6. Designate safe routes of approach for responding police and fire vehicles. Reroute traffic and public transportation as necessary. 7. Ensure a written Chronology of Events is maintained to include responding units, times and locations, displaced individuals, injuries and other pertinent information. Give log to assigned detective personnel upon completion. B. Police Radio will make the following announcement and notifications: "POLICE PERSONNEL WILL DISCONTINUE RADIO TRANSMISSIONS IN THE AREA OF UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE." NOTE: Police officers may broadcast over Police radio, use cell phones, or transmit on the MDC under exigent/emergency conditions only when the following conditions are met: REDACTED - LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE 2. Officers must be under/behind hard cover (buildings, wall, etc.) and never be in line of sight (direct distance with unobstructed view) of any suspect item/device. Remember if you can see it it can injure/kill you. 3. Notify Fire Department. Provide pertinent information so that appropriate equipment may be sent. 4. Notify Bomb Disposal Unit. Relay all relevant information about exact location and type of device found. 5. Notify Chief Inspector, Homeland Security. If unavailable, the Inspector, Domestic Preparedness & Response will be notified. 6. Notify the Real Time Crime Center. 7. Notify pertinent utility companies (Gas, Electric, Phone, Water, SEPTA). 8. Notify pertinent Detective Division Supervisor and investigator. Dispatch to scene. 9. Notify Pertinent District Operations Room Supervisor. DIRECTIVE 4.5-5
10. Notify Crime Scene Unit. Place on standby. 11. Notify all Federal agencies as needed. C. Incident Commander will: 1. In consultation with the Operations Section Chief (Chief Inspector, Homeland Security), assess the scope and origins of said explosive incident and will summon MIRT, SWAT, or other special units as needed. 2. Ensure no one enters the perimeter or affected area and the explosive material is not touched or moved. 3. Confer with Bomb Disposal personnel to determine a course of action based on their recommendations. Request destructive potential of the material if known. 4. Adjust the area of evacuation and perimeter based on the recommendation of Bomb Disposal personnel. 5. Ensure necessary equipment is on the scene. 6. Keep Police Radio informed of any police actions taken. D. Bomb Disposal personnel will: 1. Report to the Incident Commander. 2. Search for secondary explosive devices. 3. Assess overall incident and make recommendations as to scene management to the Scene Commander and Fire Department. 4. Determine whether material can be rendered safe or removed. 5. Ensure, if possible, that explosives samples are retained, and/or device is properly photographed for documentation. 6. Bomb Disposal technician/detective assigned will complete the ATF Bomb Arson Tracking System (BATS) report and submit for explosive, component, or signature matches on a local and national level. 7. Prepare Property Receipt (75-3), package and label samples from real and suspected devices for analysis. Submit samples to the appropriate lab for chemical analysis and report. DIRECTIVE 4.5-6
8. Apprise assigned BDU detective and Detective Division of Occurrence of technical findings and furnish BATS Report. 4. INITIAL RESPONSE TO EXPLOSIONS A. First Responders to the scene (Patrol Supervisor/Patrol Officer) will: NOTE: Officers are cautioned when responding to explosive scenes that multiple homicide bombers and secondary timed IED s (Improvised Explosive Devices) have been increasingly utilized during terrorist attacks in urban areas. 1. First arriving officer/supervisor will utilize the NIMS (National Incident Management System) and will act as the Incident Commander until relieved by higher authority. 2. Officers will enter the scene of an explosion only to provide life saving actions. Once all life saving actions have been completed, officers will secure the scene and begin setting up perimeter entrance and egress points. 3. Notify Police Radio and request necessary emergency equipment and support personnel. B. Police Radio will: 1. Make all notifications as per Section 3-B of this directive. NOTE: The Bomb Disposal Unit must be notified of ALL incidents where an explosion has taken place, even if the incident appears to be non-criminal in nature (e.g. gas main or transformer explosions). BDU personnel have received special training in Post Blast Investigations and will determine the exact origin of the explosion. 5. INVESTIGATIONS OF BOMB SCARES AND FOUND EXPLOSIVES A. Investigative Personnel (BDU Detective/Detective Division/Homicide Unit) will: 1. Be responsible for the preparation of the Investigation Report (75-49) which will include: a. Exact time of the call or report b. Sex of the caller c. Exactly what the caller said d. Type of voice (accent, speech defect, etc.) e. Results of the investigation DIRECTIVE 4.5-7
2. Receive copy of Chronology of Events Log. 3. Ensure a copy of the 75-49 is sent to Bomb Disposal Unit along with a copy of the radio tape. 4. Contact the Real Time Crime Center for available video surveillance feeds. B. Bomb Disposal Technician will: 1. Prepare the BATS Report and distribute a copy to the BDU Detective and/or Detective Division of Occurrence. C. Operations Room Supervisor (District of Occurrence) will use the following coding classifications: 1. Bomb Scare (no device found) - Code 3128 and check "founded." 2. Discovery of Explosives (no explosion) - Code 3127 3. Gas Leak Explosion - Code 3607 4. All Other Explosions - Code 3108 6. REQUESTS FROM OUTSIDE JURISDICTIONS A. Requests from outside jurisdictions for the services of the Bomb Disposal Unit will be approved by the Commanding Officer, Bomb Disposal Unit with notifications to Chief Inspector, Homeland Security or if unavailable, the Inspector, Domestic Preparedness & Response. 7. LETTER AND PARCEL BOMB INCIDENTS A. Because of the particular dangers of explosive devices contained in letters and other parcels, police personnel will be extremely careful in the handling of suspicious packages. B. The following are letters and parcels bomb recognition points which MAY indicate the presence of an explosive: a. Foreign mail, Air Mail and Special Delivery b. Restrictive markings such as Confidential, Personal, etc. c. Excessive postage d. Handwritten or poorly typed addresses e. Incorrect titles f. Titles but no names g. Misspellings of common words DIRECTIVE 4.5-8
h. Oily stains or discolorations i. No return address j. Excessive weight k. Rigid envelope l. Protruding wires and tinfoil m. Excessive securing material such as masking tape, string, etc. n. Visual distractions C. Upon discovery of any letters or packages which may be suspicious, supervisors and the Bomb Disposal Unit will be notified, immediately. REDACTED - LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE E. If involving a Police facility, notify Police Radio and deploy to secondary operations location(s) co-op plan. BY COMMAND OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER DIRECTIVE 4.5-9