Bomb Squad Detective Visits Community Group

It's not often (or hopefully ever) that you'll get to see a bomb squad in action, but members of Parkville's Police Community Relations Council got the next best thing Tuesday night.

Det. Mike Strausner, a member of the Baltimore County Police Department's Hazardous Devices Team, stopped by to talk about his role as a bomb technician and brought some of his tools—including a remote-controlled robot—with him.

Strausner is one of four members of the county's bomb squad and alongside his fellow officers he handles between 150 and 200 calls each year—mostly, he said, the calls are to dispose of unused ammunition or fireworks.

Occasionally though, the team is called to investigate suspicious packages or deal with an actual destructive device.

Mosty commonly, he told the group, he and his fellow officers deal with "acid" or "Drano" bombs.

After answering questions, Strausner demonstrated some of his equipment.

Paul Wise, a Perry Hall High School senior, was volunteered to try on the bomb suit that techs wear when they can't use a robot to investigate a potentially dangerous situation.

After trying on the suit, Wise said he would definitely consider a career in law enforcement put probably not with the bomb squad.

"I think he told me the suit is a total of 105 pounds between the body and the helmet ... I only weigh like 150," he said.

Strausner also demonstrated the robot, remotely controlled from a bomb technicians truck.

Check out video of Strausner's bomb bot investigating a "suspicious package" in the gallery above.

Have you ever seen Baltimore County's bomb squad in action? Tell us in the comments.