This is not the first time FBI St. Louis and its partners have helped to support the community. For Thanksgiving 2020, the FBI St. Louis Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBISTLCAAA) organized a canned food drive with help from law enforcement and other partners to collect donations at nearly 50 locations. In one week, they collected a total of 12,721 pounds of food and personal care items, along with more than $1,800 in cash to donate to the St. Louis Area Food Bank. The food drive was in memory of St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Tamarris Bohannon, 29, who was killed in the line of duty just a few months earlier.

Officer Bohannon left behind a wife and three young children. He was the first member of the SLMPD to be killed in the line of duty since 2011. When the FBISTLCAAA contacted Officer Bohannon's widow to offer support, her only request was to honor her husband with this food drive. 

On the day before Thanksgiving that year, Officer Bohannon’s family and FBISTCAAA board members packed food boxes at the St. Louis Area Foodbank. In the end, all the partners were proud to support the Bohannon family and provide access to food and other supplies to feed more than 17,500 vulnerable people in the community for whom Officer Bohannon gave his all.

As we celebrate the holidays this December, FBI employees across the country take part in similar efforts to support our shared community.

Training Bomb Technicians

PSBTs are trained and certified in Huntsville, at HDS—the U.S. government’s sole certifying, recertifying and accreditation school for all public safety bomb technicians and bomb squads. The HDS falls within the Critical Incident Response Group’s (CIRG) Counter Improvised Explosive Device Section (CIEDS). While at HDS, bomb technicians first complete a six-week training course to become certified as bomb technicians.

Per the National Guidelines for Bomb Technicians, they are required to return to HDS every three years to recertify their core skills. Once bomb technicians have experience in the field, they can return to HDS for advanced training opportunities, such as CRT, to expand their expertise and test their knowledge.

CRT prepares PSBTs to step into an emerging critical incident while taking steps to protect lives. During the weeklong training, bomb technicians are challenged technically, mentally and physically in the classroom and through practical exercises.

CRT students receive no syllabus or agenda and do not know what to expect each day of the training. They receive instruction on relevant topics and must work through timed, high-risk scenarios. During exercises, students are exposed to explosives, pulsing music and simulated live fire to increase their adrenaline and hinder their ability to think.

“It is learning through stress inoculation,” said Tony Smith, instructor with CRT and a 23-year PSBT. “As they experience it, they learn to understand and deal with it.” Henze believes the immersive training will help save lives.

What First? 

Bomb technicians typically work in teams of two or more and have a box truck filled with diagnostic tools and equipment to assess and address any potential threat items. However, during CRT, bomb technicians must respond to scenarios with only the kit they carry on them, as this would be the case if they happened upon an emerging crisis. This is a drastic change from their normal protocol.

CRT is designed to be as realistic as possible, citing previous real-life crisis events to reinforce learning points. For example, victims may be screaming, bleeding or unconscious during a scenario. Trip wires or a suspicious package may be present. Guns and explosives may sound. A bomb technician’s priority comes into question; what do they address first?

“Our natural instinct is to want to help people,” said Smith. “But we must be in a safe environment first. If there is still a shooter or a bomb ticking down, no one is safe.” This can be a difficult shift in the mindset of a bomb technician. 

During an emerging crisis, “Their first and sole responsibility is to find and eliminate the human threat [shooter]. Next, they check for suspicious bags or potential explosive threats. Then, they can shift their attention to victims,” said Smith.

Peers as Teachers

CRT is facilitated at HDS by FBI, state and local bomb technicians as adjunct instructors, providing students current field perspectives. Approximately 16 instructors teach and participate in each class, made up of 12 students. The teacher/student ratio allows for one-on-one knowledge sharing during the week.

“In the field, bomb squads are made up of technicians from different offices and agencies. It makes sense that we train that way as well,” said Henze. “After the training, instructors will be back in uniform on the job. Students may even work a call with them one day. That connection is another great benefit of CRT.”

The instructors are not there to “catch” students or have “gotcha” moments. The scenarios that students participate in are intended to be realistic and represent potential encounters. Bomb technicians build on existing skills, improve their confidence and learn new techniques that help them respond during a crisis event.

During the training, some bomb technicians question their ability to do the job. This self-reflection shows the training is working.

“This training pushes them down and we bring them back up. It gives them a good picture of what they need to do the job and what they need to work on,” said Henze.

Since its inception in 2021, over 100 federal, state and local PSBT have attended CRT with many participants stating it is the best training they have ever received.

“I am waiting for the day when I get a call from a student who says that what they learned from our instructors saved their team and other lives,” said Henze.

Seller, Stay Alert!

• Buyers who are overly eager and need the gift shipped immediately, pressuring the seller to ship the item.
• E-mails purporting to be from an online money transfer company claiming the funds have been sent by the buyer, without verification that funds have been received in the seller's account.
• Buyers who overpay for an item and want the difference sent to a third party.
  Buyers who receive the merchandise and ask for a refund, but do not send the original merchandise back. The merchandise sent back to secure the refund is typically something of lesser value, or nothing at all.
• E-mails purporting to be from an online money transfer company claiming the seller must upgrade their account to a "business account" by accepting or transferring an additional amount of money.
• Buyers who want the items shipped before they will send payment.
• Buyers who use one name when communicating and use another name or business name for payment purposes.

General Tips to Protect Yourself When Buying and Selling Online

• Verify the websites utilized to purchase and sell items. Web addresses should begin with https:// and include a locked padlock icon.
• Do not judge a company solely by their website as flashy websites can be set up and taken down quickly. Use other methods to verify credentials.
• Be wary of online transactions that use payment methods such as wire transfers, virtual currency, gift cards, or cash.
• Pay for items using a credit card dedicated for online purchases, check the card statement regularly, and never save payment information in online accounts.
• Limit the use of public Wi-Fi, if possible.
• Verify the legitimacy of all parties involved by looking at consumer reviews and social media pages, as well as checking with the Better Business Bureau.
• Do not click on links in an unsolicited email or provide personal or financial information.
• Make sure anti-virus/malware software is up to date and block pop-up windows.
• Use safe passwords or pass phrases. Never use the same password on multiple accounts.
  As always - if the deal sounds too good to be true, whether you are buying or selling an item online, chances are it is a scam.
  

If You Are a Victim
If you are a victim of a fraud, the FBI recommends taking the following actions:

• Report to the FBI IC3 at www.ic3.gov as quickly as possible.
• Report the activity to the online payment service used for the financial transaction.
• Contact your financial institution immediately to stop or reverse the transaction. Ask your financial institution to contact the corresponding financial institution where the fraudulent or suspicious transfer was sent.