Interesting Morning

[Feruk]

Background: I work in the building across the street from the old courthouse.

Earlier today I was sitting at work when a co-worker walks into my office and tells me to look out the window. She had just observed a dude on a bike ride by the courthouse, throw a backpack onto a protruding roof (on a shorter part of the building), and bike off. I snapped a pic and circled the object below.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j387/Feruk_II/CH2_zpsfrih6xwg.jpg (http://s1083.photobucket.com/user/Feruk_II/media/CH2_zpsfrih6xwg.jpg.html)

So naturally, that's a bit suspicious, we thought. In the end, she decides to head downstairs and flag a cop down and let them know. Probably nothing, but better safe then sorry. I stay upstairs. She flags down a peace officer, tells him what she observed, and points out the location of the bag. The guy tells her that they'll "try to get someone to have a look at it today", and then continues walking to Tim Horton's with his buddies... She's blown away by that and flags down a second peace officer. This one indicates that "they have cameras" around there, and she is told that he will head to the "command center" to have a look. My co-worker returns and... nothing. Nothing at all happens for 90 minutes!

Finally, two peace officers show up. One of them (after some difficulty; heavier dude) climbs up and walks around the bag. Next thing you know, he's back down, and him and buddy have semi-cordoned off the area telling civilians to walk a different way. Obviously there was at least enough there for them not to touch the bag and be slightly concerned. Soon after two janitors arrive with a ladder. Probably 5 to 10 minutes later two actual cops show up, climb up, and search the bag. Looked like mainly clothing in there. Probably some homeless guy's stash.

It turned out to be nothing, but it got me thinking... Were the cops
(a) so good that they knew there was no threat instantly
(b) lazy, disbelieving, or poorly trained, or
(c) used to getting an overwhelming amount of these warnings of bags left behind, which I guess really just goes back to (a) or (b) when it comes to response.

I'll be the first to admit that some of the story is hearsay (from my coworker), and who knows what (if anything) they were doing behind the scenes, so it's more my account then anything else. I'm of the belief that any sort of attack in Calgary will never happen, but the response time was pretty appalling IMO. Ninety minutes to approach. The one dude who just waived it off and continued on his merry way to Timmie's shocked me.

Thoughts?

[revelations]

The CPS probably field 2-3 calls like this a day for "suspicious" packages. Given the lack of explosions in the city this would make sense to treat each call like this as low priority (random backpack).

HOWEVER - if a resident of a house were to call in about a package with wires sticking out; is making beeping sounds and is leaking a liquid of some type, you CAN BET a bomb squad response would be imminent.

[rob the knob]

call 911

[ZenOps]

I'm thinking petty theft. Guy on bike stole backpack, took all valuables or did not find any. Instead of throwing backpack away in garbage - throws it in a place where it will be found and probably returned to owner. Dickwad thing to do to start with, and either double dickwadish in that he knew that someone would call it in as a bomb, or slightly less dickwadish in that hes thinking that it will be returned to owner.

It happens frequently in crime ridden areas.

Also could be: Security officer needing reason this month to keep job. Tells dumb kid to drop a backpack somewhere on his watch. Happens a lot in Greece.

[The_Penguin]

I dunno. A backpack found just laying around - not much of a threat.
Someone actually seeing a person throw a backpack on a roof of a Court building (is it a court building, I think so) - pretty serious concern. Maybe not, "evacuate the building, call SWAT", but warrants a serious look by someone with some training in less than 90 minutes.

[ZenOps]

Its the "old" courthouse right. Is it even being used for anything critical nowadays?

If it was the Saddledome or City Hall, maybe I might be slightly concerned - but not really. Kids do stupid things all the time. Of no less concern is a soccer ball. If a terrorist is going to make a backpack bomb, might as well make it a ball.

[schocker]

Are they supposed to call the bomb squad?
You are wanting them to react like they did around the boston bombing with the crock pot, gym bag and tool box.

[Feruk]

Originally posted by schocker
Are they supposed to call the bomb squad?
You are wanting them to react like they did around the boston bombing with the crock pot, gym bag and tool box.
No, I don't question the response, just the amount of time it took to even consider responding. If someone throws a backpack that may contain a bomb in it near where you are, do you think 90 minutes is acceptable?

[sexualbanana]

I think your co-worker was better off calling 911 than trying to flag down a cop. Though arguably, that's probably different sides of the same coin.

[schocker]

Originally posted by Feruk
No, I don't question the response, just the amount of time it took to even consider responding. If someone throws a backpack that may contain a bomb in it near where you are, do you think 90 minutes is acceptable?
My question still stands :dunno:
Why may the back pack contain a bomb? That is a very extreme situation. If someone had said they think they saw wires or something and think it is a bomb then the bomb squad would be called and the block cleared. There are probably lots of random abandoned bags around downtown.