ATF hosts post-blast investigative techniques course NBC 7 San Diego [Video]

Special training got underway on Wednesday in San Diego to deal with explosions caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and homemade bombs. Law enforcement, firefighters and members of the military are learning to investigate these types of explosions.

The unique training comes on the heels of Wednesday morning’s explosion caused by what authorities described as an IED that injured at least two people at a courthouse in Santa Maria.

It was hardly business as usual at the Republic Services Sycamore Landfill. Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms agents rigged cars and SUVs with IEDs and then detonated them inside the vehicles.

As uncommon as such explosions may be in a landfill, so is the unique training for which the vehicles will be used.

“Thankfully, bombings are still a rare occurrence in the United States, but the need to prepare for those investigations, it’s important,” said Randall Dockens, an ATF trainer and one of the instructors leading the post-blast investigative techniques course.

There are …