upper waypoint

After Boston Marathon Explosions, California Officials Examine Security at Home

Save ArticleSave Article
Failed to save article

Please try again

After two explosions rocked the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday, killing at least two and injuring dozens, California law enforcement and emergency officials are  monitoring the situation and how it relates to California.

A man is loaded into an ambulance after he was injured by one of two bombs exploded during the 117th Boston Marathon. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
A man is loaded into an ambulance after he was injured by one of two bombs exploded during the 117th Boston Marathon. (Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

California's State Threat Assessment Center, which comprises the governor's office, California Highway Patrol, the California Emergency Management Agency and the California Department of Justice, is searching for ties to any activity in California.

"This event has got all of our fusion centers ... diligently combing through information and looking at the news reports," said Kelly Huston, the center's spokesman. "At this point there isn’t anything from Boston that’s relevant to California, but we continue to be looking."

Bay Area police departments are also on heightened alert.

In San Francisco, officers near critical infrastructure and in crowded areas such as Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf and Market Street are remaining "extra vigilant," said Officer Albie Esparza, spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.

Sponsored

"There is no credible threat or any threat whatsoever in San Francisco at all," Esparza said. "This is merely a safety precaution in response to what occurred in Boston."

In Oakland, police officers have been briefed and told to remain vigilant. The Oakland Police Department said in a press release that it will have extra officers at sporting events and that it is coordinating with the BART Police Department and the Alameda County Sheriff's Department.

Both departments also have put out calls to the public, urging people to call 911 or approach a uniformed officer if they see something suspicious.

With San Francisco's Bay to Breakers scheduled for May 19, the city is taking extra precautions. SFPD will be working with organizers and analyzing the security situation in Boston to figure out what changes are needed.

Esparza said the department will be doing sweeps for bombs.

"We have our K-9s go around the area. They're trained highly in any type of bomb detection," he said. "There's a possibility we can use some mechanical apparatuses that our bomb detection [team] has that we can also use."

 

lower waypoint
next waypoint
Why California Environmentalists Are Divided Over Plan to Change Power Utility RatesWhy Renaming Oakland's Airport Is a Big DealAllegations of Prosecutorial Bias Spark Review of Death Penalty Convictions in Alameda CountyCecil Williams, Legendary Pastor of Glide Church, Dies at 94SF Democratic Party’s Support of Unlimited Housing Could Pressure Mayoral CandidatesNurses Warn Patient Safety at Risk as AI Use Spreads in Health CareBay Area Indians Brace for India’s Pivotal 2024 Election: Here’s What to Know‘Sweeps Kill’: Bay Area Homeless Advocates Weigh in on Pivotal US Supreme Court CaseCalifornia’s Future Educators Divided on How to Teach ReadingWhen Rivers Caught Fire: A Brief History of Earth Day