The Bomb Squad and The Longest Prison Hostage Crisis: Prison and the State Police

 

West Palm Beach, Fl - When retired Arizona State Trooper Ken Emerson looks back on his decades of service, few moments stand out as vividly as the prison hostage crisis that shook Arizona and the nation. 

A seasoned member of the Arizona Department of Public Safety Bomb Squad and the door-entry SWAT team, Emerson found himself on the front lines of the longest prison hostage crisis in U.S. history.

This gripping special episode, titled Prison and the State Police: Bomb Squad in Arizona, is available for free on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show website, and streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other major platforms.

“It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced,” Emerson recalls in a special episode of the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast. “We were trained for chaos, but nothing prepares you for a standoff that lasts fifteen days.”

The Arizona Prison Hostage Crisis

The ordeal began in January 2004, when two inmates at the Arizona State Prison Complex–Lewis overpowered guards and seized control of a tower, taking Correctional Officer Lois Fraley and Officer Jason Auch hostage. For fifteen intense days, law enforcement agencies, including the Arizona Department of Public Safety, negotiators, and tactical units, worked around the clock to bring the standoff to a peaceful end.

“It was a delicate balance of force, patience, and negotiation,” Emerson recalls. “Every move we made was calculated. We were dealing with explosives, firearms, and human lives.”

The crisis gripped the nation, with Emerson and his team called in as part of the tactical response.

Miraculously, after two weeks of high-stakes negotiations, the inmates surrendered peacefully. Officer Fraley later told ABC News, “I said goodbye to everybody. I never thought I was going to make it out alive.”

From the Military to the Bomb Squad

For Emerson, law enforcement was a natural evolution after his military career.

“Police work was the perfect transition for me after leaving the military,” he says. “The structure, the mission, and the sense of purpose were all there. But when you join the Bomb Squad, you add a whole new layer of danger and precision.”

His Bomb Squad team was among the busiest in the country, on call 24/7 to handle suspicious packages, explosive threats, and hazardous materials.

“We were constantly moving,” he explains. “From dignitary protection details to potential IEDs, there was never a dull moment.”

Inside the Life of a Bomb Technician

The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) or Hazardous Devices Unit might sound glamorous on TV, but Emerson says the real job is more methodical than cinematic.

“Movies make it look like we’re cutting red and blue wires under pressure every day,” he laughs. “In reality, it’s about precision, teamwork, and calm decision-making.”

Bomb technicians rely on cutting-edge tools, bomb suits, X-ray machines, robots, and containment vessels, to protect both the public and themselves.

“Our mission is simple,” Emerson says. “Make sure everyone goes home alive at the end of the day.”

Lessons from the Crisis

Reflecting on the Arizona prison hostage crisis, Emerson says it reinforced the importance of preparation, coordination, and trust.

“When you’re on scene at something like that, you realize how interconnected every agency is, corrections, state police, SWAT, negotiators. Everyone has to work in sync,” he says. “It’s all about trust.”

He also speaks openly about the emotional toll such experiences can take.

“People don’t see the aftermath, the sleepless nights, the what-ifs,” he admits. “You carry those moments with you forever.”

Beyond the Badge

Today, Emerson uses his experience to help law enforcement agencies recruit military veterans and guide them through the transition into civilian service.

“Veterans bring discipline, leadership, and courage,” he says. “But they also need direction and purpose after service. Law enforcement can offer that, if we do it right.”

Through appearances on Law Enforcement Talk Radio and its fast-growing digital network—including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Medium, Blogspot, and X (formerly Twitter), Emerson shares raw, real stories from behind the badge.

“This job isn’t about heroics,” he insists. “It’s about service, to your community, your partners, and your country.”

Listen to the Full Story

You can hear Ken Emerson’s firsthand account of the Prison and the State Police: Bomb Squad in Arizona Special Episode now streaming on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and the show’s official website.

Attributions

Arizona Department of Public Safety

ABC News

Wikipedia



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