Ventura County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad

Here is an article regarding the rise in military ordnance being found at Mugu State Beach.

World War II, Vietnam War-era artillery rounds wash up on Ventura County beach. Here's why The number of ordnances washing up on a local beach has increased recently. Here's why.

🔥Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad Arson Investigator assisted the Ventura County Fire Department Arson Investigator with processing the scene of yesterday's Bell Canyon Fire. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The recent hot, dry weather, along with the thick brush from this winter's heavy rains, is the perfect combination for wildland fires. Please be careful not to introduce anything that could produce heat, spark, or flame when out enjoying nature. If you notice any suspicious activity, do not hesitate to report it to police.🔥

💥New Arrival💥 Please join us in welcoming "Lilo" as the newest member of the Sheriff's Bomb Squad and the nation's first ever bomb sniffing lamb! Lilo is trained in everything from gun powder, to dynamite, to C4!

Ok, the gig is up... Lilo is not a bomb lamb. 😭 She is just a sweet farm animal we met today at the Santa Clara Valley Boys and Girls Club. Our team was honored to be invited to share what we do every day to keep the residents of Ventura County safe. The kids had great questions, and I think we may have some future bomb technicians in our midst! 💣

💥💥PSA💥💥 Over the past year, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad has made multiple posts regarding military ordnance washing ashore at Mugu State Beach. We are currently working with California State Parks and the United States Navy to remedy this issue.

Yesterday, a local beachgoer recovered this anti-tank rocket from the sand and took it home. Shortly thereafter, they realized their mistake. If you come across an item like this at the beach, we are asking you, please do not touch it. These are not replica souvenirs. Immediately evacuate the area, notify a lifeguard, and call 911.

Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad was extremely lucky to have the assistance of Ventura County Fire Crew 11 out for some much needed range maintenance! 💣💥

For everyone's safety, we do our best to keep the explosives range clean, maintained, and free of any unnecessary hazards. Thank you to VC Fire Crew 11 for coming out to battle the heat and help us with this extremely important task! 🔥

Today, we were honored to host members of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Bomb Squad at our explosives range for joint training.

Inter-agency relationships such as this allow for the sharing of ideas, techniques, and technology, which ultimately make Los Angeles and Ventura County a safer place to work and live. And, of course, they couldn't resist a picture with our bomb! 🙌 Thank you for coming out! 💥

We had a great time today at the Coffee with the Badges event! It's always a blast meeting our friends and neighbors and sharing what our team does to help keep the community safe. Thank you for the invite and to all those involved in putting this great event together! 💣

💥💥Happening Now💥💥 Come on out to the Fillmore Police Station today between 1000 and noon and join us for Coffee with a Cop! We will be joined by the SWAT Team, Fire Department, and many others!

We will be talking explosives, fireworks, robots, and any other "bomb teching" things you can come up with! See you there! 💣💥

People will often ask, "So how do you learn to be a bomb tech?" Well, here is the instruction manual that one of our team members saved from 2015, before the information was placed on flash drives. And this is only part of it!

Hazardous Devices School (HDS) is a 7-week program run by the FBI in Huntsville, Alabama. It's consists of classroom instruction, practical exercises, and rigorous testing. Every public safety bomb technician in the United States has graduated from Hazardous Devices School, and this manual was the key to our success!

Check out this video giving an in-depth look at the FBI Hazardous Devices School.
https://youtu.be/nW_P2ngKPws?si=v1JqYaEpjQ088YjI

‼️PSA‼️Every year in the United States, fireworks are responsible for nearly 10,000 emergency room visits and 20,000 fires. Unfortunately, Ventura County residents suffer from multiple life altering firework related injuries and fires each year.

The possession of fireworks is not only dangerous, it's illegal. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office is excited to celebrate Independence Day with our community, but reminds you to do it safely and responsibly. Let's all do our part to keep this 4th of July injury and fire free! 🇺🇲

Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad was honored to continue our partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Multiple times a year, the TSA will send their newest agents to our bomb range, where we introduce them to basic electronics, blast effects, and explosives recognition. Thank you to the TSA for the partnership and keeping us all safe when we travel!

Today, the Bomb Squad had a blast meeting everyone at the Conejo Recreation and Park District Touch a Truck! .Thank you for the great stories and questions! See ya'll again next year!💥

Yesterday, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad assisted the Simi Valley Police Department on a call for service involving a gr***de found inside a residence. After careful examination, the gr***de was found to be inert.

The Sheriff's Bomb Squad works closely with our partner agencies to keep the residents of Ventura County safe from explosive threats. Sometimes, gr***des are produced for training purposes. Unfortunately, even a training device outside of the military's control can be unpredictable or altered, and it is difficult to tell by look and feel alone. Always err on the side of caution by leaving the item in place, evacuating the area, and calling 911.💥

Based on our extensive training and experience, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad determined this donut was safe to eat... Contact the Bomb Squad if you find any donuts you need us to safely "dispose" of. 🤤🍩

Yesterday, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad responded to Newbury Park in the City of Thousand Oaks for a found mortar round. The ordnance was located partially buried as the property owners were conducting w**d abatement.

With the assistance of the Navy EOD, the item was determined to be an inert WWII practice round and removed from the area. It is often difficult to tell a practice round from a live round, especially when the item is in a deteriorated state. The Sheriff's Office reminds you to always err on the side of caution by leaving the item in place, evacuating the area, and calling 911.

Yesterday, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad Arson Investigator assisted the Ventura County Fire Department Arson Investigators with a brush fire near the Lake Piru Dam. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined but does not appear to be criminal in nature.

Although the recent rains have brought about a lush landscape, as the weather begins to warm up, the chances of a large brush fire greatly increase. Please be especially careful when it comes to sparks and open flames near dry plant life. Let's do everything we can to protect Ventura County this fire season!

Earlier this week, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad Arson Investigator, along with the Ventura County Fire Department Arson Investigator, assisted the Fillmore Police Department with a suspicious vehicle fire in the riverbottom. Both agencies are responsible for investigating suspicious fires within the Sheriff's Office contract cities and surrounding unincorporated county areas.

💥Arrest Made💥 Yesterday, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad assisted the Oxnard Police Department and Oxnard Fire Department with the seizure of approximately 1,500 pounds of illegal fireworks. The responsible party was arrested for the violation. Refer to the Oxnard Police Department press release for further details.

It is important to remember that ALL fireworks are illegal in Ventura County. The only exception to this law are "Safe and Sane" fireworks, purchased and used within Fillmore city limits between June 28th and July 5th. ALL fireworks possessed outside of Fillmore are illegal. Safe and Sane fireworks are marked as such with a stamp from the State Fire Marshal. Punishment for the possession of fireworks include citations, fines, and/or jail. Please make smart decisions, and lets keep Ventura County safe this 4th of July!

Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad responded to a call of a gr***de found amongst other military memorabilia in a residence in El Rio. Upon closer examination, the gr***de was determined to be an inert souvenir.

It can be extremely difficult to determine if a gr***de or other military ordnance is "live" or not, and the item's color is irrelevant once outside of military control. Always play on the side of caution by leaving the item in place, evacuating the area, and calling 911.

💥Update💥 With the artistic assistance of the Ventura County Fire Department Arson Investigators, we are one step closer to completing our newly refurbished 💣... Although bomb technicians are known for our steady hands and performance under pressure, detailed painting is not our strong suit!

As the weeks go on, stay tuned for more updates as we reveal the final steps towards completing the centerpiece of our explosives range!

💣

In honor of National Police Week, members of the Sheriff's Bomb Squad visited the lockers of our brothers Deputy Eugene Kostiuchenko and Sergeant Ron Helus, who were both killed in the line of duty going above and beyond for the residents of Ventura County.

Unfortunately, Instagram does not allow us enough space to mention all of the amazing attributes of these two heroes. Although the visit was bittersweet, it reminds us of the amazing memories of these two men. Thank you to Ron, Eugene, and the many others who gave it all for the residents of Ventura County and us here at the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Last week, the bomb technician community lost one of our own to an unexpected illness. Detective Alex Miller of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Arson and Explosives Unit was the true definition of a public servant. He was dedicated to his profession, his family, his partners, and the residents of Los Angeles County.

Although we worked for different agencies, the Ventura County Sheriff's Bomb Squad was honored to have the opportunity to work with Alex on many occasions. He was kind, knowledgeable, and a perfectionist when it came to developing the skills the public so heavily relied upon him for. Alex made us all better bomb technicians, which ultimately resulted in making both Los Angeles and Ventura Counties an even safer place to call home. To Alex and his family..... Thank you. 💣

Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad recovered these three large signal smoke / rocket motors for disposal. Although similar items are legally available to the public online and in hobby shops, it is important to remember these items are still extremely dangerous if used improperly or kept in a deteriorated condition such as this... If you come across an item like this and are not properly trained in its use, immediately back away and call 911. It is not worth losing an arm or worse! Be safe! 💥💣

The Bomb Squad had a great time this morning at Ventura County's first annual "Take Your Kid to Work Day"! Looks like we may have even recruited some future bomb technicians! 🙌 Thank you for the invite! 💥

Huge thank you to the Moorpark Police Department for having us out to your open house. What an awesome event! It was great meeting everyone and sharing what we do to help keep the residents of Ventura County safe! Till next year! 💥

💥Happening Now💥 Come out to the Moorpark Police Station today between 11am and 2pm for a tour of the station! Also, say hi to the Bomb Squad, SWAT Team, Mounted Unit, Motor Unit, Fire Department, Recruitment Team, and other public and private partners! See you there! 🙌

Last year, members of the Sheriff's Bomb Squad contributed to the purchase of a custom brick that will be laid at the newly designed Bomb Technicians Memorial located in Huntsville, Alabama at the national Hazardous Devices School (HDS). Today, the brick arrived. The second photograph features the current memorial along with a rendering of the renovation.

Every public safety bomb technician in the United States, including our own team members, has graduated from HDS and we are honored to represent Ventura County at this beautiful monument to remember the heroes who gave their lives protecting their community from explosive hazards.

After 12 hard years of sun, wind, and rain, our world famous 💣 is finally getting some much needed love! Our bomb squad members are using their non-bombtech skills to pour concrete, sand blast, paint, and protect this treasured centerpiece of our explosives range.

Since first introduced, hundreds of visitors have taken pictures with the 💣 as a way to look back on their memories of being a bombtech for a day. As this project moves forward, there will be more pictures to follow! 📷

Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad, through the efforts of the Ventura County Sheriff's Foundation , was honored to host the winners of our "Day With The Bomb Squad" auction.

This father and son duo was able to experience everything from taking x-rays, to wearing the bomb suit, driving the robot and initiating our explosives demonstration. Thank you to our honorary bomb technicians and everyone else involved in making this day a success! 💣💥

Today, the Sheriff's Bomb Squad was honored to assist the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Infragard in a homemade explosives orientation course for local business owners at our Bomb Range.

Oftentimes, business owners are the first to notice suspicious purchases and other activities taking place in and around their shops. Being able to recognize these suspicious activities and knowing how to report them to law enforcement could be instrumental in preventing a catastrophic event. Thank you to everyone involved for making this day a success! 💣💥