OSP trooper in custody after Mt. Angel bomb scare

MT. ANGEL, Ore. – An Oregon State Police trooper who is on administrative leave told police in Mt. Angel there were two bombs at different locations in the city after he was taken into custody for yelling in the street outside City Hall, according to Mt. Angel Police.

Officers responded to the disturbance call at 3:47 a.m. Tuesday near City Hall, located at 5 Garfield Street.

They said Joseph P. Conklin, 29, of Veneta told them there were bombs in backpacks at two different locations: a park across the street from city hall and near a Mt. Angel church.

Police secured the park and evacuated residents from two nearby houses. The Mt. Angel school superintendent delayed the start of all schools in the district for two hours.

Conklin was taken to a Salem hospital for a mental health assessment.

At 5:48 a.m., the Oregon State Police bomb squad arrived at the park. They determined there were no explosives in the backpack. Police did not find anything suspicious near the church.

Police later declared both locations safe.

Conklin was placed on administrative leave on Dec. 15, 2011 pending an investigation into an internal matter related to police reports, according to Oregon State Police. They did not elaborate beyond that.

He was hired in Aug., 2008 and assigned to the Florence, Ore. work site.

Conklin has not been arrested or charged with a crime, police said.