A police department in Canada has a very important message for people in their community.
Please, don’t bring any unexploded World War II-era hand grenades to the police station.
You’d think that shouldn’t have to be explicitly stated, but the Ontario Provincial Police in Ottawa had to make that exact ask on social media.
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“Earlier today, an individual brought an unexploded WW2 grenade to the Ottawa OPP Detachment for disposal,” the post from July 10 reads. “The OPP would like to remind the public that if you find such items, please do not transport them to your local police station.”
Wow.
Lots to unpack here.
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First of all, how does one stumble across a World War II-era hand grenade out in the wilds of Canada History buffs will recall that there wasn’t a whole lot of action in the Great White North during WWII. I mean, if you spotted an old grenade while hiking through Belgium’s Ardennes Forest, I would understand.
Stumbling upon an 80-year-old live grenade in Canada Wouldn’t have seen that coming.
But if you should acquire one, I understand the impulse to take it to the police. In all honesty, that probably would’ve been my move too.
I’d rather be honest and let the boys in blue know what I’ve got instead of them finding it in my car during a traffic stop or playing hot potato with it in the alley behind my house.
Fortunately, the 5-0 north of the border had some crystal clear directions on what to do should another person encounter an old explosive (which seems unlikely, but then again, it happening once seemed unlikely).
“If you find an unexploded ordinance, leave it where it is and contact your local police,” they said. “The police will arrange for their Explosives Disposal Unit to attend to safely discard the item.”
