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Public Safety Training Facility
Outline of Main Points in the Needs Statement
July 8, 1997
Introduction
Training is an important aspect in the public safety disciplines of police and fire. Developing and
maintaining skills is vital to this area of public service. In recent years, meeting requirements and
departmental needs for training has become increasingly difficult due to the lack of adequate and
available training facilities in the Washington County vicinity.
New developments in public safety training systems have improved the training available to police officers
and fire fighters through the use of computer simulations. These systems require staff to assess a
situation similar to one they may encounter on the job, make a decision and act on that decision. This
type of training provides the student with realistic situations in a controlled environment and immediate
feedback from the instructor. The system can then be reset for the next student. The benefits of
improved training include increased public safety, decreased risk to public safety personnel and
decreased potential for lawsuits.
With these issues in mind, the Public Safety Training Facility Committee proposes a cooperative venture
to build a Public Safety Training Facility to serve Washington County public safety departments.
Training Needs
Police
• Classroom, defensive tactics, firearms, traffic stop simulations and tear gas exposure
• Firearms training should include shooting for accuracy and shooting with a decision-making
component
Fire
• Classroom and hands-on training (fire suppression, smoke orientation, water rescue, hazardous
materials drills and use of equipment such as ladders, hoses and connections)
SWAT
• Classroom and hands-on training (repelling, defensive tactics, tactical team movement, incident
simulations and firearms training)
Other
• Training is also needed for management, emergency medical services and K-9 units
Current Training Arrangements
• Currently each department conducts its own training and has its own instructors and equipment
• Locating training facilities in the Washington County vicinity is becoming increasingly difficult
• As a result, training public safety staff requires significant overtime and travel costs
• Many departments are providing less training than they feel is necessary because facilities are not
available
• Other communities in the metro areas are facing the same problems
Police
• Greatest challenge is in locating fire arms training facilities
• Current facilities in the Washington County vicinity are at maximum capacity
• Zoning restrictions at outdoor ranges limit the frequency, time of use and type of weapons permitted
• Low light shooting is more difficult to accomplish at outdoor ranges
• Liability of errant rounds leaving the range area could be significant
• •
Fire
• Fire departments are facing many of the same issues as police departments, particularly the lack of
adequate training facilities
• Few fire towers are available in the Washington County vicinity
• Few abandoned buildings are available for use in training exercises and are increasingly costly to use
• Vehicle drivers must train at distant driving ranges or use local parking lots during evening hours
SWAT
• Training facilities currently being used by SWAT teams do not allow for tactical team movement,
shooting while in motion or use of high-powered fire arms
Options for Meeting Training Needs
Option One: Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility
This option involves building a joint training facility for police officers and fire fighters which is similar
to the facility being planned for construction in Edina. The facility would:
• Offer state-of-the-art training for police officers and fire fighters in indoor and outdoor training areas
• Include common areas and areas designed to meet the specific training needs of each discipline
• Be suitable for holding hazardous materials drills, training SWAT teams, K-9 units, EMS and drivers
of public safety vehicles
• Best be able to meet the mandated training requirements and specific training needs of police and
fire departments in Washington County
• Provide realistic training scenarios through the use of computer simulations
Advantages to building a joint training facility include:
• Availability (24 hours)
• Convenience (located within Washington County)
• Custom design
• Potential for other uses of the facility
• Improved training of public safety personnel
• Ability to hold interdepartmental and interdisciplinary training exercises
• Potential to create county-wide training standards
• Potential to strengthen relationships between departments
• Enhancement of cross jurisdictional response
• Single site required
• Cost savings to departments
• Decreased duplication across departments
• Rental revenue will support maintenance costs
• Decreased potential for lawsuits
Disadvantages to building a joint training facility include the following:
• Significant up-front capital costs
• Locating a site for the facility may be difficult
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Option Two: Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility Incrementally
This alternative proposes development, in phases, of the same facility described under Option One.
The facility would:
• Offer state-of-the-art training for police officers and fire fighters in indoor and outdoor training areas
• Eventually include common areas and areas designed to meet the specific training needs of each
discipline
• Eventually be suitable for holding hazardous materials drills, training SWAT teams, K-9 units,
EMS and drivers of public safety vehicles
• Eventually be able to meet the mandated training requirements and specific training needs of
police and fire departments in Washington County
• Provide realistic training scenarios through the use of computer simulations
Advantages to incrementally building a joint training facility include the following:
• Availability (24 hours) *
• Convenience (located within Washington County) * •
• Custom design
• Potential for other uses *
• Space for the postponed portion of the facility will have been set aside
• Improved training of public safety personnel *
• Ability to hold interdepartmental training exercises *
• Potential to create county-wide training standards *
• Potential to strengthen relationships between departments *
• Enhancement of cross jurisdictional response *
• Single site required
• Lower initial cost than required for Option One
• Cost savings to departments *
• Decreased duplication across departments *
• Rental revenue will support maintenance costs *
• Decreased potential for lawsuits *
(*These items will provide only limited benefits until the training facility has been completed)
Disadvantages to incrementally building a joint training facility include:
• Significant up-front capital costs
• Increased planning costs
• Increased building costs
• Locating a site for the facility may be difficult
• Potential for scheduling conflicts due to smaller initial size
• Until the facility is completed, the training needs of one discipline will not be met
• Potential for the facility not to be completed
Option Three: Build Separate Facilities for Police and Fire Training
This alternative proposes development of a training facility for police departments in one location and fire
departments in another. Each training facility would be similar to the facility described under Option One,
with duplication of areas such as parking, classroom, officers, lockers and showers which would be
included in both facilities. These facilities would:
• Offer state-of-the-art training for police officers and fire fighters in indoor and outdoor training areas
• Include areas designed to meet the specific training needs of police and fire departments
• Be suitable for holding hazardous materials drills, training SWAT teams, K-9 units, EMS and drivers
of public safety vehicles
• Be able to meet the mandated training requirements and specific training needs of police and fire
departments in Washington County
• Provide realistic training scenarios through the use of computer simulations
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Advantages to building separate facilities for police and fire training include the following:
• Availability (24 hours) *
• Convenience (located within Washington County) *
• Custom design
• Potential for other uses *
• Improved training of public safety personnel *
• Ability to hold interdepartmental and interdisciplinary training exercises *
• Potential to create county-wide training standards *
• Potential to strengthen relationships between departments *
• Enhancement of cross jurisdictional response*
• May be easier to site two smaller facilities rather than a single large facility
• Lower initial cost than required for Option One
• Cost savings to departments *
• Decreased duplication across departments*
• Rental revenue will support maintenance costs *
• Decreased potential for lawsuits *
(*These items will provide only limited benefits until both training facilities have been completed)
Disadvantages to building separate training facilities include:
• Significant up-front capital costs
• Increased planning costs
• Increased building costs
• Locating sites for the facilities may be difficult
• Until both facilities are completed, the training needs of one discipline will not be met
• Potential for both facilities not to be completed
Option Four. Pursue Options for a Regional Training Facility
This option involves partnering with neighboring communities to build a regional public safety training
facility. Some discussion has taken place regarding development of an east metro regional law
enforcement training facility. This facility would:
• Offer state-of-the-art training for law enforcement officers
• Be able to meet mandated police training requirements
• Provide realistic training scenarios through the use of computer simulations
Advantages to building a regional training facility include the following:
• Availability (24 hours) *
• Custom design *
• Improved training of police officers *
• Ability to hold interdepartmental training exercises *
• Potential to create training standards *
• Potential to strengthen relationships between departments *
• Enhancement of cross jurisdictional response*
• Lower initial cost due to a lower cost share for Washington County communities
• Cost savings to departments *
• Decreased duplication across departments *
• Rental revenue will support maintenance costs *
• Decreased potential for lawsuits *
(* Most items will provide only limited benefits as the needs for fire fighter training will not be met under
this proposal)
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