A joint-agency team of Los Alamos Police Department Bomb Squad members Cmdr. Preston Ballew and Cpl. Sheldon Simpson and U.S. Army personnel begin an explosive ordnance disposal challenge during the 2017 Raven’s Challenge competition Aug. 3 at Camp Pendleton in California. Courtesy/DoD by EJ Hersom
Los Alamos Police Deparment Bomb Squad Cmdr. Preston Ballew carries a munitions box during last week’s Raven’s Challenge at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Courtesy DoD by EJ Hersom
Los Alamos Police Cpl. Sheldon Simpson, left, and U.S. Army Sgt. Thomas Fentiman assemble a device used to destruct bombs during the 2017 Raven’s Challenge at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Courtesy DoD by EJ Hersom
Two members of the Los Alamos Police Department Bomb Squad, Cmdr. Preston Ballew and Cpl. Sheldon Simpson traveled to Camp Pendleton, Calif. in the LAPD Bomb Response Vehicle to participate last week in the 2017 Raven’s Challenge.
The Raven’s Challenge is an annual, interagency, counter improvised explosive device exercise with scenarios focused on interoperability capabilities between public safety bomb squads and military explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units. The objective of the exercise is to have an exchange of tactics, techniques and procedures between bomb squads and EOD units as well as to enhance team building.
According to Ballew who has been commander of the LAPD Bomb Squad since 2008, the exercise is funded by the Department of the Army and led by the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Public safety and military EOD teams are combined into joint teams which are given challenging response scenarios that will require them to work together. These scenarios minimize simulation and provide the bomb technicians the opportunity to use live explosive tools against realistic targets.
“This is real world training with military and public safety interacting. It’s quite a challenge because their standard operating procedures differ but their mission is the same – to accomplish their objective,” Ballew said. “It’s definitely an eye-opener.”
The LAPD Bomb Squad has been certified by the Federal Bureau of Investigation since the 1990s. The five team members are Ballew, Cmdr. Oliver Morris, Sgt. Chris Ross, Cpl. Sheldon Simpson and Cpl. Ben Hinrichs who are all certified. Ballew reports directly to Chief Dino Sgambellone and an FBI special agent bomb technician in Albuquerque. The Bomb Response Vehicle is equipped to render any improvised explosive device safe, Ballew said. The number of team members is limited to what the FBI determines is needed.
Most of the calls in the Los Alamos area are from Los Alamos National Laboratory and involve unattended items or suspicious packages. The Bomb Squad occasionally responds to unexploded ordnance reports in the community. Ballew said the team works closely with the New Mexico State Police Bomb squad and provides them with assistance on a variety of calls, some of which take it outside Los Alamos. Last year, the team responded to 37 calls, including several in Ojo Caliente, Coyote and Santa Fe.
Bomb Squad members are expected to train at least 16 hours each month and must maintain certification from the Hazardous Devices School in Huntsville, Ala.
Cmdr. Preston Ballew stands next to the Los Alamos Police Department Bomb Response Vehicle. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos Police Department and U.S. Army participants gather during Raven’s Challenge at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Courtesy/DoD by EJ Hersom
Los Alamos Police Department Bomb Squad members Cmdr.Preston Ballew, left, and Cpl.Sheldon Simpson at Raven’s Challenge last week. Courtesy/DoD by EJ Herson
