PORT TOWNSEND — The State Patrol bomb squad found nothing in a package discovered on the front steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse on Monday morning, but the visit — without an evacuation of the building — caused some consternation.
In an e-mail to the Jefferson County commissioners, Erin Kennedy, probation officer, wrote that she was “completely disgusted” by the handling of the situation.
“If the [Jefferson County] sheriff and Port Townsend Police Department deemed it necessary to call the WSP bomb squad why is that you have not evacuated the building nor have you sent out an e-mail to the offices inform them what is going on?” Kennedy wrote.
The package, a green plastic shopping bag, was discovered on the steps at about 9 a.m.
Staffers alerted the Port Townsend police and brought the matter to the attention of County Administrator Philip Morley, who was in a meeting with the three county commissioners.
Low danger
Morley said that police looked into the bag and saw an article of clothing, a book and a small wooden box.
Police determined the danger was low, he said.
In an e-mail sent to staff at 12:45 p.m., Morley said that the Port Townsend police “assessed the size, nature and placement of the bag and determined the probability and risk were small.
“Based on this, police advised management that an evacuation was not warranted.”
Police did not open the box. At 9:30 a.m., they contacted the State Patrol, which dispatched a truck from Kitsap County, arriving at 10:52 p.m.
The bomb squad X-rayed the box on the scene and found it to be empty.
The scene was cleared at 12:07 p.m.
During this time, Superior Court was in session and the county commissioners were holding their regular meeting.
The front entrance was closed and cordoned off, with pedestrians directed toward other exits.
Those inside the building were encouraged to use the elevators as the stairs were also cordoned off.
Some staffers said they were “nervous” about all the activity, and sent messages to Morley wondering about the situation.
‘Very concerned’
District Court Administrator Tracie Wilburn wrote, “I have staff and staff members family who are calling and that are very concerned about what is going on.”
Auditor Donna Eldridge said she trusts the county administrator’s judgement with regard to safety and said she “was more worried about my staff last week when the snow was falling.”
Superior Court Clerk Ruth Gordon said that she and her staff were not concerned with the incident, that her office was “business as usual.”
Kennedy wrote that “family members have called and are very concerned that you have not evacuated the building [or] have e-mailed the offices to tell them why you don’t find this to be any kind of bomb threat.”
In his e-mail to staff Morley said “if the nature and the size of the bag and its contents had posed a higher risk we would have reacted differently.”
No identification was found in the bag, so it could not be returned to its owner, police said.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.