TERROR IN OKLAHOMA CITY : O.C. May Get New Robot Bomb Seeker

SANTA ANA —  A new bomb-seeking robot could be the latest addition to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s arsenal, but officials said Thursday that the $52,000 device probably wouldn’t be able to stave off a bombing attack like the one that occurred in Oklahoma City.

Sheriff Brad Gates will be asking the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday for permission to purchase a new bomb disposal robot to replace the department’s aging model. The robot, manufactured by a business in Canada, uses a camera and allows handlers to view suspicious-looking objects from afar. It also has the capability to move an object to a safer area and assist with detonation.

“The attack in Oklahoma (City) happened before anyone noticed anything suspicious; there was no advance warning,” Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Garner said. “The robot is of help in cases where someone notices something.”

The county’s Hazardous Devices Squad handles calls throughout the county and responds to an average of 40 to 60 calls each month. It would need the services of a bomb-seeking robot about 100 times a year on average, Garner said.

Robots are traditionally used when an object has been identified as a potential bomb. Once the area is cleared, the robot can move in and perform a variety of tasks without endangering human life, Garner said.

“For instance, if you had an object like a briefcase, the robot can pick it up, move it to a field or open area, away from a populated location, where it can be opened up, looked at and detonated, if needed,” he said.

But the department’s current robot is at least 12 years old and breaks down frequently, which is why Gates is asking the board to approve the purchase of a new one. If the request is approved, the older model will be used as a backup.

“It’s not a real sophisticated one,” Garner said of the department’s current robot. “The new one would be able to operate at longer distance, giving (deputies) an added margin of safety.”

Garner would not discuss details about the bomb squad or its work, citing security concerns.