Resources for Police Services - Canadian Bomb Data Centre

Responsibilities for responding to an explosives incident

When an explosives incident occurs, the responsibility for responding to it is usually shared by a variety of professionals including ambulance attendants, firefighters, local police officers and, if requested, local explosives disposal technicians, who are policing specialists in detecting and rendering safe a wide variety of explosives. Following the incident, the local police services is responsible for investigating the incident to determine whether criminal activity caused the explosion.

Assistance from post-blast investigators

Although the investigation of an explosion follows the principles of forensic investigation, there are many unusual elements and technical considerations in the investigation of an explosives incident. Our post-blast experts have spent years training, studying and working with explosives disposal and post-blast investigations. Canadian and international police services and agencies charged with investigating a major explosives incident can call upon our National Post-Blast Response Team to:

• attend major post-blast scenes and assist with the forensic investigation;
• examine improvised explosives devices (IEDs) to determine their origin or to eliminate their association with suspects;
• analyse reports of explosives incidents to identify key issues or patterns relative to other investigations;
• determine the sophistication of devices being made by criminal or terrorist groups; and
• serve as expert witnesses in court.

Library of information on explosives disposal and post-blast investigations

At the Canadian Bomb Data Centre we have an extensive collection of information on explosives disposal and post-blast investigations, including research studies, product information, case analyses, technical analyses of IEDs, investigative procedures and checklists, and statistics. We produce periodic bulletins highlighting current issues and distribute them to Canadian and international police services and agencies and to qualified businesses.

If you wish to receive our bulletins and any urgent advisories issued, please contact your local Explosives Disposal Unit, who will assess your need for information and contact us at the CBDC.

Lectures and training on explosives disposal

When requested, CBDC members give guest lectures to government departments and agencies, police forces, private organizations and students registered in recognized explosives disposal programs.

Note that a career in explosives disposal is only open to experienced police officers who follow a training program such as is available at the Canadian Police College.

Contacts

For assistance with an explosives disposal problem or a post-blast scene, police investigators are welcome to contact us.

Note: The public should not use these telephone numbers, but should contact their local police services for information or emergencies.

• by email: cbdc-ccdb@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
• by telephone (Monday - Friday 7 am to 6 pm, EST or EDST)
  (613) 993-7880
• by telephone (silent hours)
  (613) 952-4200
• by mail
  1200 Vanier Parkway
  Ottawa, Ontario
  K1A 0R2 Canada