Book Review: Bomb Threats

Reviewed by Hugh J. Martin

01 February 2016

Print Issue: February 2016

Charles C. Thomas Publishers; Ccthomas.com; 226 pages; $36.95

A comprehensive presentation of the various aspects of bomb threats, the third edition of A Law Enforcement and Security Officers’ Guide to Responding to Bomb Threats focuses on the critical considerations that the first responders to bomb threats must evaluate. Information about the nature of bomb threats is provided as well. The review of the different types of bombers includes a catalog of the motivations that various bombers manifest.

Author Jim Smith, who has more than 30 years of public safety experience, provides valuable insight into the management of bomb incidents with a concomitant discussion of the differing philosophies of public safety agencies. Safety issues that potentially impact the first responders are reviewed along with pertinent procedures and precautions. Smith enumerates the multiple hazards that typically exist in the scenes of explosions. He also provides the methodology to safely secure these disaster/crime scenes.

This well written text should be included in the professional libraries of individual law enforcement and security officers. The valuable information contained within this book should not be limited to first responders, because others in the chain of command could also benefit from reading and studying this work.

Reviewer: Hugh J. Martin is a retired police chief from Wisconsin. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.