Policy Text
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
1
10.1 Special Operations
10.1.7 Bomb Threats (Issued: 6/25/07)
A. Department personnel who receive a bomb threat via the telephone will follow these
procedures:
1. Remain calm asking the following questions of the caller:
a. When is the bomb going off?
b. Where is the bomb?
c. What kind of bomb is it?
d. What does it look like?
e. Who are you?
f. Where are you?
g. Why did you place the bomb?
2. As soon as practical, relay the information to a ECC dispatcher who will then
notify the Watch Commander.
B. Patrol Response
1. When dispatched to a bomb threat, responding units will advise the ECC
dispatcher s/he is going off air and turn off all mobile, portable radio, cellular
phones, etc. within the suspected searching area of the bomb.
2. An officer will contact the responsible party advising of the bomb threat and of
the following procedures:
a. It is the owner/responsible party’s decision to evacuate or not evacuate the
building/property.
b. Officers will assist in evacuation and search o f the location for any
unusual objects, packages, containers. However, a person familiar with the
location is necessary to identify anything out of the ordinary.
3. If a suspicious item or object is found, the officer immediately will order the
evacuation of, at minimum 300 feet in all directions, in the area and establish a
perimeter of reasonable distance. The size of the evacuation and perimeter is
determined by the location, size and any other information on the device. The
officer will request the no tification and response of SFPD EOD, SFFD, and
medical and rescue personnel to stage at a safe location just outside the perimeter.
4. The on -duty Watch Commander will be advised via land line of the location and
relevant information of the device. If a te lephone is not available, one of the
responding units will leave the immediate vicinity (300 feet minimum) before
breaking radio silence.
a. The Watch Commander will determine if the SFPD Bomb Detail is to be
called.
University of California, San Francisco
Police Department General Orders
2
C. Media Procedures
1. The Watch Comma nder will assess the situation and determine if the Public
Information Officer (PIO) should respond to coordinate media communications
per General Order 6.4, “Public Information and Community Relations.”
2. The PIO should respond to situations involving a suspicious device which results
in large scale evacuation or closure of facilities such as businesses, public
buildings, and/or major streets.
3. If the PIO is not needed, the Watch Commander will be responsible for media
communications.
D. Reporting Pr ocedures
A complete report will be written by the investigating officer including the disposition of
the device if found.