Bomb threats to the ISU campus are few and far between, but that doesn’t mean the ISU Police Division takes the threats any less seriously.

An anonymous caller informed the ISU Police of a bomb threat to the Durham Center on Oct. 1, but ISU Police Commander Gene Deisinger said calls like that happen rarely.

Deisinger said nothing suspicious turned up during the building search, but they are always prepared to take action.

“The safety of the people in the facility is our first priority, and everything we do is geared towards that goal,” he said.

Deisinger said responding to a bomb threat requires training not only for officers but for dispatchers as well.

“Depending on the nature of the call we get and how creditable it seems to be will depend on our response,” he said. Dispatchers will need to know what a credible call sounds like.

Deisinger said the call regarding a bomb in Durham had sufficient information to make it sound credible, so the area was searched and several people were interviewed but nothing was found to warrant an evacuation.

He said safety comes first for everyone involved, so officers won’t risk people getting hurt in the process of an evacuation unless there is a reason to suspect a credible bomb threat.

Deisinger said they will ask assistance from other agencies, including the Ames Police Department if necessary.

Investigations Commander Randy Kessel, of the Ames Police Department, said they will be there to help in any situation the ISU Police would need them – whether it’s manning perimeters or helping with a physical search of the area.

“Any time we are called upon to assist we are there,” Kessel said. “And they are willing to assist us as well.”

Kessel said both the ISU Police and Ames Police have trained together on campus since Sept. 11 for biological warfare, but bomb threats weren’t forgotten.

“We take any threat seriously, especially in this day and age,” he said.

“It’s important to realize that we approach all of these threats with caution. We take threats as being real, and we don’t discount anything. It is always better to err on the side of caution.”

Deisinger said the bomb threat to Durham is still under investigation.