Hello Hand Grenade

I was just now watching Manhunt: Unabomber and was reminded of this one:

Another beautiful day patrolling the urban corridor and I respond to a report of an explosive device.

You know, sometimes, the willingness to be a total safety idiot comes with the job.

Dee-de-dee.

I roll up on the address.  I don't remember if I talked to anybody or if the location was extremely well-described in the call notes.  The latter is highly unlikely and I vaguely recall speaking to a human who pointed across an open yard to a the corner of a dilapidated retaining wall.

I turn off my police radio.  I had left my cellphone in the car.  Bomb safety 101, don't send out any radio signals nearby.

I tiptoe across the field and peer down into the corner.  There is some sort of white plastic shopping bag with red lettering on it.  It looks like it has been there for a while (dusty, worn looking).

At first, I don't see anything, then it comes into focus.  I can't remember for sure but I think I had to gently move a bag handle.

Yup.  Hand grenade!

No sh*t.  There I was.

Okey doke.  Retreat!

Thankfully, I made it back to my car safely and was initiate the organized chaos of a bomb response.  I didn't organize it.  I just advised my sergeant that yes, indeed, there was a nearby explosive device (although a grenade obviously isn't overly concerning when you are as far away as we were by that time) that needed to be dealt with.

We blocked off a small perimeter.  Again, grenade, not dynamite or any such thing.  Nobody was allowed in the immediate area of the object.

We waited.  We don't have a bomb squad in our agency, so we had to phone a friend.

The county bomb squad responded within about an hour.  Their man suited up and took his little explosive container and went to work.

It was pretty interesting to watch, just not sure what was going to happen.

He secured the grenade and safely detonated it.  I believe he said the pin was still in it, but whatever.

I'm just glad it didn't explode in my face!

I have not one bloody clue why it was there or who put it there.

Just another weirdo call.  On to the next one!

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