First Responders Assess Suspicious Packages on Campus

There was extensive first responder activity on the Georgia Tech campus Monday evening.

The Georgia Tech Police Department responded to reports of two unrelated suspicious packages at 7:45 p.m., one located at Barnes and Noble and a second on Hemphill Avenue near GTPD headquarters. GTPD quickly determined that the unattended items at Barnes and Noble posed no threat and cleared the scene. Working with Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, GTPD assessed the second package near GTPD headquarters and also determined that it posed no threat to the campus community.

According to Georgia Tech Police Chief Rob Connolly, there are protocols in place for handling reports of suspicious packages.

“First and foremost, unattended bags or suspicious packages should not be touched but immediately reported to GTPD so that we can assess the object in question,” said Connolly. “Often, these are simply unattended bags and pose no threat.

“Both GTPD and AFRD participate in extensive training to respond to suspicious packages and other threats,” Connolly said. “We are also fortunate to have our own K9 unit trained to identify explosives and other materials of concern.”

Because these incidents were localized and did not pose a threat to the campus community, the Georgia Tech Emergency Notification System (GTENS) was not activated. According to Connolly, "We reserve the use of GTENS for situations where an imminent threat to the campus community requires immediate action."