A Law Enforcement and Security Officer’s Guide to Responding to Bomb Threats, by Captain Jim Smith, JD, EdD, MSS, Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, USA, 2003, 160 pages, indexed, hardcover, $41.94, paper, $26.95.

     Those of us who have been security professionals sometimes forget just how little we knew when we began our careers and how valuable we found references that did a good job of covering what we call “the basics.” Therein lies the value of A Law Enforcement and Security Officers’ Guide to Responding to Bomb Threats, by Captain Jim Smith of the Dothan, Alabama, Police Department. Given current events, it’s timing is excellent.

    The author, who holds a variety of bomb technician certifications and supervises the Dothan, Alabama, Police Department’s Bomb and Explosive Detail, does a superlative job of putting together a layman’s guide that provides a working knowledge of bombs and planning for dealing with incidents involving explosives. The text is replete with guidelines and suggestions for general law enforcement and security personnel responding to such incidents–including clear and concise coverage of common methods of bomb construction, delivery, and detonation–along with valuable threat assessment and medical tips.

    This is an important reference book deserving of a spot in your library. If you are a “newbie” to security or law enforcement, it could save your life, among others. If you are an “old pro,” it can be both a useful review and planning guide and material to help educate those you are protecting. Either way, I highly recommend it.
   
REVIEWED BY:   
Mayer Nudell, CSC
Specialized Consulting Services
Arlington, Virginia, USA
+1-703-524-6833  §§  Fax: +1-703-524-7022

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