Bomb Team

Bomb Team Member in Protective Gear with Robot

Berrien County's bomb squad is one of the oldest in Michigan. It was created in 1972, by former Sheriff Forrest "Nick" Jewel. The team is comprised of highly trained Sheriff's personnel, who in addition to their other various jobs as Deputy Sheriffs, have assumed the dangerous responsibility of rendering safe improvised explosive and incendiary devices within Berrien County. The team responds to unstable/hazardous commercial explosives, military ordinances, VIP protection detail requests, conducts post-blast investigations involving evidence collection, interviews, reconstruction and court testimony.

The team is outfitted with a bomb robot. The robot is used to approach suspected devices, and with the use of video technology, the technician can more safely render suspected devices safe. The bomb robot has also been used in other situations where placing a deputy would be very dangerous.