(Sept. 12, 2004, updated) -- Sept. 11 weekend awareness led LBPD to respond in force -- and prompted a brief suspension of LB Airport operations on Sunday morning Sept. 12 -- after a citizen reported seeing a smoke trail rising upward from the Pyramid area of Cal State University Long Beach...an area on the path of LB Airport runway 30/12.

LBPD Public Information Officer Sgt. David Cannan says a citizen reported seeing a smoke trail rising upward at about 10:20 a.m. on Sept. 12...and reflecting heightened awareness for the Sept. 11 period, LBPD responded seriously.

One LBReport.com reader observed helicopters, roughly six to eight LBPD black and white units and CSULB police on scene in the Pyramid area and adjacent parking lot 13.

LB Airport operations were suspended from roughly 11:25 a.m. to 11:55 a.m.

Sgt. Cannan said that at present, it does not appear that the smoke trail was related to any flight activity and whatever happened is not currently considered an event of significance.

So what was the smoke trail? That's uncertain as we post. Sgt. Cannan speculated that it might be related to an upcoming CSULB event later this month involving the University's rocketry program [not confirmed as we post]. [Other speculation: might have been a hobby rocket.]

Further to follow as newsworthy.