Proactive public keeps bomb squad busy

The Pueblo Metro Bomb Squad has responded to more calls so far this year than in all of 2012. In the last three days, the squad was dispatched to three calls. None of the reports were found to pose a threat to the public.

After the Boston Marathon bombings in April, the Pueblo Police Department launched a campaign: If you see something, say something. Andy McLachlan, commander of the bomb squad, said people are being more proactive about reporting suspicious objects as a result of the bombings in Boston and the department’s campaign.

“We get many calls that someone finds, they’re cleaning out something they find military ordnance. They’re not sure it’s live or not and you don’t want them to figure out if it’s live or not,” McLachlan said.

The Pueblo Metro Bomb Squad has responded to 50 calls so far this year. On Wednesday, the bomb squad was at Walmart on Pueblo’s south side because of what looked like a suspicious car with a portable radio, batteries, wires and a backpack. It was later deemed safe.

McLachlan said, “These are all different components that could be associated with a device.”

The bomb squad was called out Thursday to San Isabel for a report of a grenade. It turned out to be fake. On Tuesday, the squad responded to a report of a suspicious item in Pueblo that turned out to be a bag of coffee.

McLachlan said half of the time the bomb squad is called out, there is no real threat. But he said he’d rather people be safe than sorry.