The six members of the Explosives Disposal Unit, or Bomb Squad, are qualified police explosives technicians, trained in a five-week course at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa. Basic training is followed by Basic Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Site Management, Post Blast Investigation and Explosive Forced Entry training. Explosives technicians also get training on the handling of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats, fireworks and pyrotechnics, and electronics. A re-certification process occurs every three years as dictated by the Canadian Police College.
EDU handles improvised explosive devices (IEDs), post-blast investigations and some bomb threats. They liaise with the military on military ordnance and are available to assist the other Regina Police specialty units in tactical situations. They approve permits for fireworks displays and pyrotechnics displays at rock concerts and movie shoots.
The equipment used by EDU is highly specialized and expensive. It includes a Canadian-made robot which is operated by remote control. Depending on the situation, the robot can approach a suspicious object, retrieve it or move it or, if necessary, “disrupt” it, while the human members of his team remain at a safe distance. Other equipment includes a bomb kettle (a large, heavy “cauldron” that can contain the blast from a detonated object), a Canadian-made bomb suit, weighing 80 pounds (which is made up of heavy ceramic plates and kevlar covered by canvas, and a helmet), an x-ray machine and various disruptors used to render IEDs safe.
Members of EDU serve part-time on their team and come from School Resources, Service Centres, Criminal Investigation Division, Headquarters and Patrol. They train as a unit 18 days per year and often integrate their training with other special teams and even outside agencies such as the Fire Department and the RCMP.