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Home My WebLink AboutUntitled (6) • S Contents' Introduction 1 Current Training Arrangements 2 Training Needs 4 Options for Meeting Current and Future Training Needs 5 Option One: Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility 5 Option Two: Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility Incrementally 8 Option Three: Build Separate Facilities for Police and Fire Training 10 Option Four: Pursue Options for a Regional Training Facility . . . . . . . . 12 Option Five: Private Development of a Public Safety Training Facility 15 Option Six: Continue Current Training Arrangements 17 Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Organizational Structure 25 Facility Management 26 Maple Grove Law Enforcement Training Facility 26 Building Floor Plan 28 South Metro Public Safety Training Facility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Site Plan 31 Building Floor Plan 32 Fire Training Structure Floor Plans 33 Preliminary Cost Estimate 34 Table 1: Advantages to Public Safety Training Options . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Table 2: Disadvantages to Public Safety Training Options 20 Table 3: Issues Associated with Public Safety Training Options 21 Table 4: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Building Common Areas 35 Table 5: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Office Area . . . . . . . . . 36 Table 6: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Tactical Training Area 36 Table 7: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Firearms Training Area 37 Table 8: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Fire Training Areas in Building 38 Table 9: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Live Fire Training Structure . . . 38 Table 10: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Outdoor Joint Training Areas 39 Table 11: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Total Building Areas 39 Table 12: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Site Development 40 S110 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 for training have become increasingly difficult and costly for police and fire departments. Scheduling staff for limited training opportunities, as well as the limited availability of training facilities, is straining staff resources and budgets. Training requirements for police officers, fire fighters and emergency medical personnel are mandated by the state legislature, including initial instruction and annual refresher training. More important than the need to meet mandates, however, are the effects of failing to adequately train public safety personnel. Proper training is vital for true public safety. New developments in public safety training systems present realistic scenarios and provide the opportunity for public safety personnel to face potentially dangerous situations in a controlled environment. Training utilizing realistic simulations is critical in a crisis situation, as staff will react the way they were trained. Well-trained staff have been exposed to, and have put into practice, a variety of methods for dealing with crisis situations. In the police service, these officers are less likely to overreact or use physical force. Improved training will not only improve the safety of the public and public safety personnel, but will also decrease the potential for lawsuits. Court decisions finding unnecessary use of force or failure to adequately train public safety personnel could have a significant impact on communities and departments. This proposal was developed to outline the need for a training facility for Washington County police and fire departments. Currently many departments are traveling to distant locations to utilize less- than-ideal facilities. A Public Safety Training Facility for Washington County would offer state-of- the-art training for staff in a location closer to their service area than many currently used facilities. A cooperative venture is proposed to take advantage of economies of scale, leverage resources, and avoid duplication. By combining resources, the departments will economically be able to provide up-to-date, often state-of-the-art equipment and facilities needed for public safety training in a manner more affordable than if individual departments tried to do so separately. Public safety departments in Washington County employ approximately 300 law enforcement officers and 300 fire fighters. 1 CurrentTraining Arrangements A few simple facts are facing police and fire departments in the availability of facilities for skills training. Training facilities are disappearing in the metropolitan area, and those remaining are fewer in number and at more remote locations. It is increasingly costly to send staff to training and they cannot be recalled from training sites in the time needed to respond to emergencies. The training of law enforcement officers involves three components --firearms, use of force and classroom training. The most significant problems in locating training facilities are for firearms exercises. Existing ranges are operating at maximum capacity, suggesting that as the size of the police force continues to grow, the ability to secure training time will become increasingly difficult. To compound this problem, zoning restrictions at outdoor shooting ranges severely limit the frequency and times of use, and the types of weapons permitted. Outdoor firing ranges best depict the dire situation facing our public safety personnel. Only a few facilities remain in the Washington County vicinity. Use of the Sheriffs shooting range is limited by season, time of day and frequency of use. The Oakdale Gun Club in Lake Elmo is currently used by five Washington County police departments and the Ramsey County Sheriff's department and faces similar restrictions, including the types of weapons permitted. Additional outdoor facilities used by police departments include the Forest Lake Sportsman's Club and a primitive facility in Harris, MN (an 80-mile round trip from Washington County). Use of outdoor ranges is severely limited by weather conditions. Training exercises are frequently canceled due to inclement weather, or staff are forced to train under unreasonable conditions. For instance, during March the Sheriffs department was forced to cancel a drill because of unexpected snowfall. Shortly thereafter, another department using the Sheriffs facility conducted their training exercises ankle-deep in water. Outdoor ranges also cause other inconveniences. For instance, meeting the mandate for low-light shooting means being at the range at the appropriate time in the evening. Zoning restrictions limit the use of some outdoor ranges to daytime use only. Target movement at outdoor ranges is achieved using a hand crank or remote control unit. While remote control units provide better target movement, they must be set up and removed with each training session. An additional inconvenience is the lack of classroom facilities available at the outdoor ranges. Indoor firing ranges are even less accessible than are the outdoor ranges. Recently, Maple Grove and Hennepin County jointly built a firing range and training facility, which is available for use by other agencies. Use of this facility, however, consumes considerable travel time from Washington County, making it an impractical option. Use of force and classroom training is typically held in city or department meeting rooms. Limited room availability however, makes training sessions difficult to schedule in these facilities. 2 S 4111 ' - The above conditions make it exceedingly difficult for law enforcement agencies to meet even the minimum mandated training standards. In growing communities, these problems are compounded by increases in the size of the police force. Training costs have also increased due to the distant locations to which officers must travel. Use of distant facilities requires that staff leave their call- response area, necessitating the use of overtime to complete training exercises. Travel expenses are one more factor which contribute to the increase in training costs. Fire departments face many of these same issues in their attempts to train staff. Distant training locations and less-than-adequate facilities make proper training difficult and expensive to obtain. Fire departments have traditionally used fire towers or abandoned buildings for fire training. Abandoned buildings are increasingly scarce and, when available, E.P.A. rules regarding asbestos abatement make this option far too costly. Fire fighting personnel have limited opportunities for hands-on training experience. In some instances, fire departments have used their own stations for fire training by setting small fires inside. This type of training exercise creates a problem, however, in that it creates a considerable mess within these stations. Fire departments must also train emergency vehicle drivers. Facilities are available in St. Cloud and Dakota County, however, departments often use local parking lots to avoid the overtime and travel costs associated with use of these distant driving facilities. SWAT teams participate in firearms training and tactical team movement. Training facilities which are currently being utilized however, do not allow for tactical team movement or shooting while in motion. Furthermore, the use of automatic weapons is restricted. Both police and fire departments face high training costs due to the expense of purchasing equipment and training instructors. Each department purchases its own training equipment at considerable cost. Currently the training equipment owned by most departments is inadequate to meet minimum training mandates. In addition, each department invests considerable cost into the training of instructors. In the case of police, for instance, each department must have instructors certified to train staff in firearms and use of force. In all cases, public safety departments in Washington County vie with those of other communities for time at available firing ranges and training towers in the metropolitan area. This lack of facilities causes significant scheduling problems and often requires overtime hours in order for personnel to meet training requirements. This situation is typical in the metropolitan area and will only worsen in years to come. Police and fire services are moving toward scenario-based training in response to the increasing sophistication expected in decision-making by police officers and fire fighters. In the field of law enforcement, most training is moving indoors -- using new OSHA-complying firing ranges for a wide range of firearms, computer-simulated use of force, and even simulations of felony traffic stops. Computerization is also making in-roads in live 3 • • Training Needs Public safety departments are fairly consistent in the type of training needed for staff. Police officers engage in classroom, defensive tactics and firearms training. Ideally the firearms training will include both shooting for accuracy and shooting with a decision-making component. Tactical training includes baton use and hand-to-hand defensive tactics. In addition, officers participate in training exercises such as traffic stop simulations and exposure to tear gas. Fire fighters engage in classroom and hands-on training. The greatest need that fire departments currently face is for a burn building and tower. These facilities will allow simulation of realistic rescue situations. Other training exercises performed by fire fighters include use of ladders, hoses and connections, water rescue simulations, smoke orientation and hazardous materials simulations. Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel engage in classroom and hands-on training exercises which include incident simulations. SWAT team training involves activities such as repelling, defensive tactics, incident simulations and firearms training with high powered weapons. In addition, the availability of classrooms and outdoor training space for K-9 units, multi-disciplinary exercises and management training would further improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Washington County's public safety departments. 4 • S Options for Meeting Current and Future Training Needs Representatives of Washington County fire, police and Sheriff's departments identified six options for meeting the training needs of public safety officers. Advantages and disadvantages can be iden- tified for each of the six alternatives, and some are clearly better able to meet the training needs identified above. The advantages and disadvantages of each alternative are itemized below, as are the abilities of each to meet current and future training needs and various issues which may arise with each alternative. The options for meeting public safety training needs are ranked below according to their ability to meet the needs of both police and fire departments. The preferred alternative is Option One (Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility); the least desirable is Option Six (Continue Current Arrangements). The tables on pages 19 through 21 identify the advantages, disadvantages and issues associated with each alternative. Option One: Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility The option preferred by representatives of Washington County's public safety departments is to build a joint training facility similar to the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility currently being planned for the communities of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Richfield and the Metropolitan Airports Commission. With proper planning, a joint training facility could be expected to serve the needs of Washington County public safety departments for approximately 40 to 50 years. The Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County would offer state-of-the-art training facilities for police and fire personnel in both indoor and outdoor training areas. The facility would include common areas for use by both police officers and fire fighters, as well as areas designed to meet the specific training needs of each discipline. In addition, the facility would be suitable for holding hazardous materials drills, training SWAT teams, K-9 units, EMS and drivers of public safety vehicles. Common areas within the training facility would include the following: classrooms; conference room; office space; library; toilet and locker facilities; and storage space. Training areas serving primarily police needs would include: tactical training areas such as defensive tactics room, baton training room, simulation training room and crime scene room; firearms training areas such as firearms range, decision training range, weapons cleaning room, armorer's room, secured gun and ammunition storage, and range workshop. Training areas serving primarily fire fighter needs would include: training tower; commercial and residential fire fighting simulation areas; mask maze; mud room entrance to indoor training areas; and arson, sprinkler and alarm system laboratories. Advantages The construction of a Washington County Public Safety Training Facility will provide numerous benefits to police and fire personnel and to residents of Washington County. 5 • Availability. The facility could be available 24 hours a day. Training could be scheduled for any shift, allowing staff to plan for training to fit into their schedules with less need for overtime. Convenience. Having a training facility within Washington County will reduce the travel time and expense involved in using remote, existing training sites. Personnel can be called back from training in minutes if they are needed to respond to an event in their city. Proximity will also make it possible for short "brush-up" training exercises as needed. Custom design. The Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County will be designed to meet current training mandates, as well as the specific training needs of public safety departments in Washington County. Potential for other uses. A training facility could be made available for other activities which would be of benefit to the community. For instance, the facility could be rented to community groups or businesses, or used for CPR classes, safety camps and fire extinguisher training. Better training. Cost-sharing increases the opportunities for training and state-of-the-art equipment. A facility which uses current technology to recreate realistic situations will be better able to prepare public safety personnel for a variety of situations they are likely to face. This will bring Washington County's training practices in line with current requirements, and better able to meet new requirements as they are introduced. In addition, the safety of police officers, fire fighters and the public is increased. Joint training exercises. A training facility will facilitate joint training exercises involving multiple departments. Training sessions could be open to all -- staff attending the sessions need not all be from the same department. Several instructors could provide training for certain topics, so that the need for multiple training sessions by one trainer for each department would be reduced. In addition, outside trainers could be hired for sessions which would be available to all departments, thus decreasing duplication and cost. Cross-service training. A joint training facility would allow cross-service training exercises to be held. These exercises could include police and fire personnel, as well as hazardous materials teams, SWAT units and EMS. Potential to create training standards. Use of a joint training facility will facilitate communication between instructors, allowing for multi-department training and creating the potential to develop county-wide training standards. Safety will be enhanced by having shared practices in fire and law enforcement tactics. Preparation of training materials could be economized, with one plan taking the place of many individual plans. Strengthens relationships. Cities have traditionally had mutual aid arrangements in police and fire services. A county-wide training facility will strengthen those cooperative relationships. It will provide staff with additional networking opportunities and the valuable learning that results from interacting with peers in other departments. Cross jurisdictional response enhanced. By participating in joint training exercises, staff members will provide more effective assistance when responding to incidents on their borders or in neighboring jurisdictions. A larger pool of staff will be available for incidents requiring response by several jurisdictions and staff will have a greater sense of confidence in working with members of other departments. 6 411/ S Single site. Construction of a joint training facility will limit the search for a suitable site to one location. Cost savings. Cost savings could be realized in a number of areas, including: less overtime paid for staff training; decreased duplication across departments; increased sharing of training equipment and instructors; decreased cost of outside instructors; decreased potential for lawsuits; and income potential from other departments' use of the training facility. Decreased duplication across departments. A training facility will allow departments to consolidate equipment, instructors, training exercises and training materials, thereby decreasing duplication across departments. Rental revenue. Unused time at the Washington County Training Facility could be made available to other departments in the metropolitan area and would generate income to supplement maintenance and other facility costs. Decreased potential for lawsuits. Staff which are better trained will commit fewer errors of judgement, thus decreasing the opportunity for lawsuits. Furthermore, cities will have an improved ability to defend against lawsuits claiming a failure to sufficiently train staff. Disadvantages Two disadvantages to building the Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County were identified and are described below. Capital costs. Significant up-front costs will be involved in building the Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County. Costs for a similar facility being planned in Edina are anticipated at around $6.2 million, excluding the cost of land. (See page 34 for preliminary cost estimates for the South Metro facility.) Siting difficulties. A joint training facility similar to the South Metro facility will require a site of six to seven acres. Finding an available site which is large enough, centrally located and which will minimally impact surrounding land uses (particularly residential areas) may be difficult. Issues The following issues may be of concern to communities, decision makers and potential neighbors of a joint training facility. Noise. Training exercises may create noise unwelcome in adjoining neighborhoods. Smoke. Fire training exercises will create some smoke. Careful consideration should be given to wind direction from any prospective site and vicinity to nearby buildings. Traffic. A training facility will generate traffic in the form of automobiles and emergency vehicles. The effects of these additional vehicles on roads, neighborhoods and districts surrounding the proposed site should be considered. NIMBYs. Residents or businesses near a proposed site may be opposed to location of the training facility in their vicinity. 7 Ownership vs. rental. Plans for development of the training facility should make ownership in the facility more desirable to Washington County communities than rental of training spaces. Without enough partners to provide support (i.e., up-front capital), a training facility cannot be built. Funding. Funding for plan development, architectural services and facility construction should be sought from a variety of sources, including: grants; public/private partnerships; state and federal sources; state and federal public safety agencies; and Washington County communities (amount of contribution could be based on size of public safety force, average annual training hours, anticipated annual training hours, or some other factor). Ability to meet training needs The Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County offers the best opportunity to meet both mandated police and fire fighter training requirements and the specific needs of Washington County communities. A facility constructed for these communities will provide departments with state-of- the-art equipment which will allow officers to train utilizing realistic scenarios. A new facility could also be designed to accommodate future changes in public safety training requirements. Furthermore, in order to meet the changing demand for training (as the Washington County population and need for public safety personnel continues to grow) the facility should be designed to meet anticipated training needs for the next 40 to 50 years, or alternatively, space for expansion could be incorporated into the facility's plans. Option Two: Build a Joint Public Safety Training Facility Incrementally Option Two would eventually result in the same facility described under Option One, however it calls for the facility to be built in phases. For instance, the common areas of the facility and areas requir- ed for police training could be built first, with space set aside to build the fire training areas at a later date. Likewise the fire training facilities could be built first, postponing construction of police training areas until some future time. Like the facility described under Option One, an incrementally built training facility would include common areas, as well as areas designed to meet the specific training needs of police and fire departments. In addition, the facility would be suitable for holding hazardous materials drills, training SWAT teams, K-9 units, EMS and drivers of public safety vehicles. The training facility could be expected to serve the county's public safety training needs for approximately 40 to 50 years. Advantages Phasing-in construction of the Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County will provide the benefits indicated below to public safety personnel and residents of Washington County. Some of these advantages will provide only limited benefits initially, as the needs of both police and fire training will not be met until the facility is completed. Availability(limited). (See page 6.) Convenience (limited). (See page 6.) 8 . a • Custom design. (See page 6.) Potential for other uses (limited). (See page 6.) Facility space allocated. Space for the postponed portion of the training facility is purchased and set aside from the outset, ensuring that these are available when construction is ready to begin. Better training (limited). (See page 6.) Joint training exercises (limited). (See page 6.) Cross-service training (limited). (See page 6.) Potential to create training standards (limited). (See page 6.) Strengthens relationships (limited). (See page 6.) Cross jurisdictional response enhanced(limited). (See page 6.) Single site. (See page 7.) Lower initial cost. The smaller initial size of the phased-in training facility will require lower initial investment than required under Option One. Cost savings (limited). (See page 7.) Decreased duplication across departments (limited). (See page 7.) Rental revenue (limited). (See page 7.) Decreased potential for lawsuits (limited). (See page 7.) Disadvantages Several disadvantages to incremental development of a joint training facility were identified and are described below. Capital costs. Significant up-front costs will be involved in building a phased-in Public Safety Training Facility, however they will be less than the initial costs required under Option One. Increased planning costs. A phased-in training facility will require increased planning efforts, consequently increasing these costs. Increased building costs. As building and labor costs increase over time, the total dollar amount needed to build a phased-in training facility will be more than the total cost under Option One. Siting difficulties. (See page 7.) Potential for scheduling conflicts. Limited initial space in the training facility may create scheduling conflicts, particularly for spaces serving multi-disciplinary training needs. 9 • Unmet training needs. A phased-in training facility will also phase in much needed improvements to public safety training programs. Initially, some of the training needs identified above will not be met. Potential for non-completion. An incrementally built training facility may require the project to be "sold" to decision makers and the public as each new portion of the facility is built. This will provide increased opportunities for the project to be discontinued, leaving public safety training needs unmet. Issues The following issues may be of concern to communities, decision makers and potential neighbors of a phased-in Public Safety Training Facility. Noise. (See page 7.) Smoke. (See page 7.) Traffic. (See page 7.) NIMBYs. (See page 7.) Ownership vs. rental. (See page 8.) Funding. (See page 8.) Ability to meet training needs An incrementally built Public Safety Training Facility offers a good opportunity to eventually meet both the mandated training requirements and the specific needs of Washington County communities. Initially however, one discipline will have its training needs met, while the other will continue using inadequate facilities and providing less-than-optimal training for its staff. Option Three: Build Separate Facilities for Police and Fire Training Option Three would offer state-of-the-art training facilities for police departments in one facility and fire departments in another. Each facility would include office and classroom areas, toilet and locker facilities, parking, storage space, and training areas specific to each discipline. The facilities would be somewhat similar to the alternative proposed under Option One, except that they would be located on separate sites. The facilities could be utilized by hazardous materials units, SWAT teams and drivers of public safety vehicles, although they would be less suitable than the joint training facility proposed under Option One. Although the training facilities could be built concurrently, it is more likely that they would be built at different times. The comments below assume that the police and fire training facilities are not built at the same time. Advantages Construction of separate police and fire training facilities will provide the benefits indicated below to public safety personnel and residents of Washington County. Several of these advantages will 10 • ! provide only limited benefits initially, as the needs of police and fire training will not be met until both facilities are built. Availability(limited). (See page 6.) Convenience (limited). (See page 6.) Custom design. (See page 6.) Potential for other uses (limited). (See page 6.) Better training(limited). (See page 6.) Joint training exercises (limited). (See page 6.) Cross-service training(limited). (See page 6.) Potential to create training standards (limited). (See page 6.) Strengthens relationships(limited). (See page 6.) Siting considerations. Locating two smaller sites for public safety training facilities may be easier than locating the single large site needed for Options One and Two. In addition, it may be easier to centrally locate two training facilities for the departments using them than to locate a single training facility for a greater number of departments. Locating the facilities more centrally will decrease costs and increase convenience for staff training. Cost savings (limited). (See page 7.) Decreased duplication across departments (limited). (See page 7.) Rental revenue (limited). (See page 7.) Decreased potential for lawsuits (limited). (See page 7.) Disavantages Several disadvantages to building separate police and fire training facilities were identified and are described below. Capital costs. Significant up-front capital costs will be involved in building separate police and fire fighter training facilities. Increased planning costs. Separate training facilities will require increased planning efforts, consequently increasing these costs. Increased building costs. Separately built training facilities cannot share common building and training areas (i.e., classrooms, offices, conference rooms, toilets and showers, outdoor training areas and parking lots), thus increasing costs for both facilities. In addition, if construction of one of the facilities is delayed, building and labor costs will increase over time, also increasing the total dollar amount needed to complete both facilities. 11 111 • Siting difficulties. Attempting to site two training facilities will compound many of the issues involved in trying to site a single facility. to be Potential for non-completion. Separately built training facilities increl require the ased opportunities1forthe project twice to decision makers and the public. This provide creas to be discontinued, leaving public safety training needs unmet. l also Unmet training needs. Delay in construction of line the s and training elsultan fapcilities slafety tdrailning ay much needed improvements in public safety training g program needs going unmet. Issues The following issues may be of concern to communities, decision makers and potential neighbors of separate police and fire training facilities. Noise. (See page 7.) Smoke. (See page 7.) Traffic. (See page 7.) NIMBYs. (See page 7.) Ownership vs. rental. (See page 8.) Funding. (See page 8.) Ability to meet training needs Separate training facilities for police and fire departments will be suitable for meeting the mandated training requirements for public safety officers. A delay in the construction of either facility means delay in needed training improvements for either the police force or fire protection services. Sepa- rate training facilities will not be able to meet some of the specific needs of Washington County communities. Namely, the ability to conduct joint training exercises involving police and fire depart- ments, SWAT teams, hazardous materials units, and emergency medical services, will be consider- ably more difficult than conducting the same exercises in thanlic woety uldtraining be provided through The net result of the above considerations is a lower quality of training the facility proposed under Option One. Option Four: Pursue Options for a Regional Training Facility Option Four involves partnering with neighboring communities to build a regional public safety training facility. A regional facility would need to be wi ll will arger an lso be cons dany of the terably ions discussed above as the number of officers it need toaccommodate higher. A regional facility could be designed to meet will be one that meets the needs not only the training needs of both police and fire personnel or only one of the disciplines. The finalproduct of Washington County's departments, but of all the partners involved. 12 I Senator Randy Kelly (St. Paul) has begun discussion of a regional law enforcement training facility with representatives of several police and Sheriff's departments. The facility under discussion -- which will not be pursued this legislative session --would serve law enforcement training needs for departments in the east metropolitan area. The Senator and his staff will be looking into the issue again next year. As this is the only option for a regional facility currently under consideration, all comments below will be in regards to this particular proposal. Advantages Construction of an East Metro Regional Public Safety Training Facility would provide the following benefits to police officers and residents of Washington County. Most advantages will provide only limited benefits to public safety departments, as the needs for fire fighter training will not be met under this proposal. Availability(limited). (See page 6.) Custom design (limited). (See page 6.) Better training(limited). (See page 6.) Joint training exercises (limited). (See page 6.) Potential to create training standards (limited). (See page 6.) Strengthens relationships (limited). (See page 6.) Cross jurisdictional responses enhanced(limited). (See page 6.) Lower initial cost. The larger number of partners in the Regional Training Facility could mean lower initial costs for the communities of Washington County. This would be particularly true because of the size of the St. Paul police force which would, presumably, be paying the greatest share of up-front costs. Lower long-term costs. Maintenance and other long-term costs would also be shared by a larger number of partners than would be involved under Options One through Three, thus decreasing costs to police departments in Washington County. In addition, more cost sharing opportunities for equipment and instructors could be available. Cost savings (limited). (See page 7.) Decreased duplication across departments (limited). (See page 7.) Rental revenue (limited). (See page 7.) Decreased potential for lawsuits (limited). (See page 7.) Disadvantages Several disadvantages to partnering in the development of a Regional Law Enforcement Training Facility were identified and are described below. 13 • Capital costs. Significant up-front costs will be involved in building a Regional Law Enforcement Training Facility, however they will probably be less than the initial costs required under other alternatives. Increased maintenance and life span costs. Overuse of the training facility (use which does not incorporate adequate rest periods for the equipment) will eventually increase maintenance and life span costs. Siting difficulties. A regional law enforcement training facility will require a site of considerable size. Finding an available site which is large enough, conveniently located and which will minimally impact surrounding land uses (particularly residential areas) may be difficult. Limited control over design. A Regional Training Facility would be designed to meet the common training needs of all participants. This limits the ability of the design to meet specific needs of individual departments which do not coincide with the rest of the region's needs. The design process may allow for less creativity than would a smaller, county-wide facility. Limited control over facility. Washington County police departments and trainers will have a limited amount of control over a facility which serves a greater number of departments, particularly because some of those departments will be of much greater size. In addition, reaching consensus regarding facility operations, management, etc., may be more difficult due to the larger number of communities involved. Unmet training needs. A Regional Training Facility may not meet the needs of all Washington County police departments and will meet none of the needs of fire departments. Potential for scheduling conflicts. Limited space or high demand for use of a regional training facility may result in scheduling conflicts. Limited accessibility. Accessibility to a regional facility may be difficult or limited for smaller departments. These departments will have to compete for training time with larger departments, such as the St. Paul police force, creating hardships in meeting their training needs. Less convenient location. A training facility serving a larger geographic area may not be as conveniently located for departments in Washington County as a facility which serves only Washington County. The additional time and distance needed to reach a regional facility will increase costs, particularly in overtime pay. Increased staffing needs. A larger training facility will require a larger staff to manage its operation and maintenance. This will increase ongoing facility maintenance and upkeep costs. Issues The following issues may be of concern to communities, decision makers and potential neighbors of a regional training facility. Noise. (See page 7.) Traffic. (See page 7.) NIMBYs. (See page 7.) 14 • Ownership vs. rental. (See page 8.) Funding. (See page 8.) Political issue. The need for additional training facilities for police and fire departments is a regional issue. Whether the problem should be solved at a regional or local level needs to be considered. Ability to meet training needs A Regional Law Enforcement Training Facility would be suitable for meeting the mandated training requirements for police officers, however it may not be sufficient to meet the individual training needs of particular departments. The initial discussion of the training facility does not include any consideration of fire fighter training facilities, leaving fire departments struggling with the same conditions they are currently facing. In addition, such a facility would most likely prove unsuitable for joint training exercises involving police and fire departments, SWAT units, hazardous materials teams, and emergency medical services because of the larger number of departments which would be using the facility. The net result of the above considerations is a lower quality of training than would be provided through the training facility proposed under Option One. Option Five: Private Development of a Public Safety Training Facility Option Five proposes development of a Public Safety Training Facility by investors in the private sector. The training facility would be owned by the developer and leased to a Washington County joint powers organization on a long-term basis. Under this alternative, any of the facilities described in Options One through Four could conceivably be developed to meet the training needs of police and fire departments in Washington County. It is anticipated that investors will have some interest in this concept, as the need for public safety training will persist, not only in Washington County, but in the entire metro area as well. Long-term need and use of such as facility could easily be guaranteed to the developer, providing investment income for decades to come. Additional incentives, such as a property tax exemption, could aid in attracting investors. Advantages Private development of a public safety training facility will provide the following advantage to the communities and residents of Washington County. No up-front costs. There are no construction costs involved with this option. Additional advantages to private sector development of a training facility will depend upon the type of training facility built. A list of the advantages which pertain to each option is available in Table 1 (page 19). Further details can be found in pages 5 through 15. 15 • • - Disadvantages Several disadvantages to private-sector development of a training facility were identified. Limited control over design. A private developer may not be willing to accommodate specific design elements preferred by Washington County public safety departments. are Limited control over facility. safet lic ety fac lily whichts isln rented from on a private developerto have less control over a publicy training Termination of lease. Renewal of a lease agreement for the Public Safety Training Facility will be at the discretion of the developer. If the developer chooses not to renew the lease, public safety departments in Washington County will be forced to revert to previously used training practices and facilities-- assuming these are still available. Additional disadvantages to private-sector development of a training facility will depend upon the type of facility built. A list of the disadvantages which pertain to each option is available in Table 2 (page 20). Further details can be found in pages 5 through 15. Issues The following issues may be of concern to communities, decision makers and potential neighbors of the training facility. Noise. (See page 7.) Traffic. (See page 7.) NIMBYs. (See page 7.) Additional issues which may be of concern are specific to particular facility types. Smoke. This pertains only to facilities which include a fire training component. (See page 7.) Political issue. This issue pertains only to a regional training facility. (See page 15.) Ability to meet training needs The ability of a public safety training facility developed in the private sector to meet mandated and department-specific training needs will depend upon the type of facility built. A joint training facility will have the greatest ability to meet the training needs of all public safety staff in Washington County. An incrementally-built facility will meet some of the training needs immediately, while postponing others until a later date. Separate training facilities for police and fire departments will not as easily accommodate multi-disciplinary training involving police, fire, SWAT, EMS and hazardous materials teams. A regional law enforcement training facility may not meet all the training needs of police departments in Washington County, and will meet none of the needs of fire departments. 16 • I Option Six: Continue Current Training Arrangements The sixth option for meeting Washington County's training needs is to continue the arrangements currently being used by police and fire departments. This involves using distant and often inadequate training facilities, removing staff from their response areas, and requiring many to work overtime in order to complete training exercises. Current mandates require that training exercises recreating realistic situations be used for the training of public safety officers. This mandate, and the ability of departments to adequately prepare staff for potentially dangerous situations, is not being met under current conditions. Public safety representatives have indicated that Option Six is not adequate to meet mandated and individual training needs of departments in Washington County. As with the previous five alternatives, there are advantages and disadvantages to choosing this option. These are described below. Advantages Continuing the police and fire training arrangements currently in use would provide the following benefits to public safety personnel and residents of Washington County. No siting consideration. Location of a site on which to construct a training facility will not be necessary. No maintenance responsibility. Except for maintenance of the Sheriffs outdoor range, the current arrangements involve no responsibility for maintenance of a training facility. No up-front costs. There are no planning, design or construction costs involved with this option. Disadvantages Numerous disadvantages to continuing the current training arrangements were identified and are described below. Unmet training needs. Training sites currently utilized by public safety departments are in higher demand than ever. Continued reliance on these sites could jeopardize the ability of departments to train staff at all. In addition, these facilities are insufficient for providing the realistic, decision- making simulations needed to meet current training needs. Continued decrease in training sites. Training sites available to police and fire departments have been decreasing in recent years. This decline is expected to continue due to increasingly stringent OSHA and environmental regulations. Continued decrease in training opportunities. Decreasing availability of buildings and increasing regulations regarding live burns have reduced the availability of live burn training for fire departments. Regulations affecting outdoor shooting ranges have decreased the amount of time police departments can use these facilities, both for daytime and evening exercises. These conditions are not expected to improve in coming years. Inability to meet training mandates. Current mandates require that training exercises recreating realistic situations be used for the training of public safety officers. These requirements are not being met with current training facilities. 17 • Limited control over Sheriff's range. Use of the Sheriff's department shooting range is severely regulated (hours of daytime and evening use are limited) due to residential development in the vicinity. No control over others'facilities. Similar situations exist at other outdoor ranges used by Washington County departments. Police and fire departments face a lack of control over many aspects of their training programs because they must use facilities owned by others. Many of these facilities face severe restrictions in the type and amount of use which is permitted. Environmental factors. Lead contamination at outdoor shooting ranges may contribute to the pollution of soil and groundwater. Liability increases. Liability for the safety of staff and the public will increase if adequate training is not provided for police officers and fire fighters. Potential for lawsuits. Inadequate training may increase the potential for lawsuits. Staff who have not been adequately trained or who have not faced dangerous situations in a controlled environment, may lack the experience to handle various situations encountered on duty. In addition, an apparent lack of commitment to adequate training can be used to strengthen litigants' cases against communities. Issues The following issues may be of concern to communities, decision makers and the citizens of Washington County. Lawsuits. Lawsuits are always a potential threat to communities, however failure to provide adequate training to public safety personnel can only increase the threat of suit and size of potential losses in court. Training site closings. In recent years, numerous training sites (particularly outdoor shooting ranges) have been closed due to increasingly stringent OSHA and environmental regulations. This trend is likely to continue in the future, making training facilities particularly difficult to locate for all metropolitan area departments, including those in Washington County. Ability to meet training needs Continuing current training arrangements will allow Washington County public safety departments to train their officers to a minimal level. This level, which is below the mandated requirements and identified needs of public safety departments, provides classroom instruction of, and practical experience in, basic concepts and techniques. The current level of training does not, however, provide officers with the opportunity to encounter realistic situations under controlled conditions. This higher level of training could make a significant difference in how staff handle serious or potentially serious situations encountered on the job. 18 • s Table 1: Advantages to Public Safety Training Options Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Option 4: Option 5: Option 6: Build Joint Build in Separate Regional Private Do Facility Stages Facilities Facility Facility Nothing Availability • Limited Limited Limited *. Convenience • Limited Limited * Custom design • • • Limited * Potential for other uses • Limited Limited Facility space allocated • Better training • Limited Limited Limited * Joint training exercises • Limited Limited Limited Cross-service training • Limited Limited Potential to create training • Limited Limited Limited *. standards Strengthens relationships • Limited Limited Limited Cross jurisdictional response • Limited Limited Single site • • Siting considerations • No siting considerations • No maintenance responsibility • Lower initial cost • • Lower long-term costs • No up-front costs • • Cost savings • Limited Limited Limited Decreased duplication • Limited Limited Limited Rental revenue • Limited Limited Limited Decreased potential for lawsuits • Limited Limited Limited *. * The degree to which this advantage applies to a privately developed public safety training facility depends upon the type of facility which is built (refer to Options One through Four). 19 • • Table 2: Disadvantages to Public Safety Training Options Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Option 4: Option 5: Option 6: Build Joint Build in Separate Regional Private Do Facility Stages Facilities Facility Facility Nothing Capital costs • • • • Increased planning costs • • Increased building costs • • Increased maintenance and lifespan costs • Siting difficulties • • • • Limited control over design • • Limited control over facility • • Termination of lease • Potential for non-completion • • Unmet training needs • • • * • Scheduling conflicts • • Limited accessibility • Less convenient location • Increased staffing needs • Continued decrease in training • sites Continued decrease in training • opportunities Inability to meet training • mandates Limited ctrl over Sheriff's range • No control over others' facilities • Environmental factors • • Liability increases Potential for lawsuits • *The degree to which this disadvantage applies to a privately developed public safety training facility depends upon the type of facility which is built (refer to Options One through Four). 20 . • ' - Table 3: Issues Associated with Public Safety Training Options Option 1: Option 2: Option 3: Option 4: Option 5: Option 6: Build Joint Build in Separate Regional Private Do Facility Stages Facilities Facility Facility Nothing Noise • • • Smoke • • • Traffic • • • • • NIMBYs • • • • • Ownership vs. rental • • • • Funding • • • • Political issue • Lawsuits • Training site closings • * Whether or not this issue applies to a privately developed public safety training facility depends upon the type of facility which is built (refer to Options One through Four). 21 • Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County A facility designed to meet the training needs of public safety personnel in Washington County would include common areas to be used by both police and fire departments and training areas designed primarily for the needs of each discipline. A facility designed in such a manner would also be suitable for use by SWAT teams, hazardous materials units, K-9 units and EMS teams, as well as for cross-service training involving any or all of the above disciplines. A number of common areas are required in a joint training facility, including office space, class- rooms, toilet and locker facilities, and storage space. Additional common areas, such as a vending area or lunchroom, library, and emergency medical room, will improve a facility's functionality. Facility needs for police training include classrooms, tactical training areas and firearms training areas. Tactical training areas should include a defensive tactics room or gymnasium, baton training area, simulation training room and crime scene room. Firearms training areas should include a firearms range (with firing lanes of variable length and the ability to simulate various environmental conditions), decision training range, fire arms training system (F.A.T.S.), weapons cleaning room and storage areas for range equipment, guns and ammunition. In addition, an armorer's room could be included to provide space for weapons repair. Outdoor training areas, such as a space to conduct traffic stop exercises and a building to expose officers to the effects of tear gas, could also be beneficial. Alternatively, an exterior door to the firearms range would allow vehicle access to the space for traffic stop exercises. The majority of fire fighter training needs can be met using an outdoor fire structure. Such a building would include a tower, commercial and residential areas, and could simulate realistic smoke and fire conditions through computer controlled exercises. Additional outdoor training areas could include a burn pit, trench/cave rescue area, drafting pit, and area for driver training. Indoor spaces for fire fighters should include classrooms and a mud room (warming area and building entrance from fire training areas), and could include specialized training laboratories for arson, sprinklers and alarm systems. In addition, a satellite dish would make the increasing number of fire training courses available through satellite downlinks easily accessible to instructors and staff. A drafting pit or small lake could be utilized for water training and exercises involving K-9 units. A large grassy area could be put to many uses by SWAT and K-9 units, police, fire and EMS. An outdoor storage area should also be included, and designed with the capacity to house training equipment for police, fire, SWAT, K-9 and hazardous materials units. Emergency medical services training involves classroom and hands-on training. A large classroom is required for CPR training, allowing each student a space of approximately 10 by 10 feet. In addition, an indoor space which can be accessed by an ambulance, such as the range area via exterior door, will allow for simulation exercises to be performed. 22 • • The rooms and facilities which could be included in a Public Safety Training Facility are categorized below according to their primary use. A short description of the function of each space is provided. Common Areas Room Function Parking lot Vehicle parking; driver training area Entrance and lobby Main building entrance and waiting area for staff and students Training classrooms Room for classes, briefings, and meetings. Moveable walls will add versatility and allow for several small classes to take place at once. Audio visual room Storage for audio and visual equipment Conference room Space for meetings or small classes Library Access to job-related resources, periodicals, technical books, etc. Toilet and locker rooms Separate toilet, shower and locker facilities for men and women Emergency medical room Space to provide temporary first aid for burns, cuts, cardiac distress, smoke inhalation, heat exhaustion and other injuries or illness Table and chair storage Storage for tables and chairs Vending area Area for vending machines Lunch room Lunch or break area for students and instructors Mechanical/equipmnt room Space for mechanical, electrical and communications equipment Office Area Room Function Management office Space for managing and scheduling the training facility Training office Work space for police and fire training instructors Office workroom For use of building manager and training instructors Firearms Training Area Room Function Firearms range Multi-purpose firing area for hand and long guns, including 180° arc shooting, with moveable walls to accommodate multiple exercises Decision training range Firing area for live fire decision training using simulations Range control room Lighting control and master control console for range master Range exterior door Automobile access to range for traffic stop exercises; ambulance access to range for emergency medical personnel training Sound lock entrances Soundproof locks between range and rest of training facility Weapons cleaning room Area for cleaning weapons after firing on the range Armorer's room Area for armorers to repair weapons Storage room Secured storage for guns and ammunition Range workshop Workshop and storage area for targets, props and cleaning equipment Range mechanical room Space for mechanical equipment for firearms and decision range 23 • Tactical Training Area Room Function Defensive tactics room Tactical training (hand-to-hand defensive tactics); classroom Baton training room Tactical (baton) training; classroom for fire fighters wearing gear or other times when an uncarpeted area is needed Simulation training room Projection of simulated situations on screen and use of laser fire Crime scene room Crime scene and SWAT training; SCVA training for fire fighters Equipment storage room Storage for mats and equipment used in tactical training area Fire Training Areas in Building Room Function Mud room Building entrance from exterior fire training areas; indoor warming area for fire fighters during cold-weather training exercises; gear storage Arson laboratory Teaching area or laboratory for arson investigation force Sprinkler laboratory Sprinkler system operation, demonstration and inspection Alarm system laboratory Fire alarm systems training and storage Live Fire Training Structure Room Function Tower Simulated fire fighting and rescue operations in multi-story building Commercial Simulated fire fighting and rescue operations in commercial building Residential Simulated fire fighting and rescue operations in residential building Mask maze Maze structure using modular walls for training in a smoke-laden environment Control room Control center for automated burner system Equipment and workroom Area to clean air masks, fill air bottles and repair equipment Outdoor Training Areas Room Function Burn pit Concrete pit for training in extinguishing flammable liquid fires Trench/ cave rescue Simulated rescues from caved-in trench and confined spaces Gas building Building to expose officers to the effects of tear gas, with moveable walls to change the interior configuration Driver training course Student driver training; traffic stop exercises Grassy area Large grassy area for SWAT team, K-9 unit and other training Lake or pond Access to water for training of pump operators, water rescue teams and K-9 units Exterior storage Storage building for equipment and materials used for police, fire, SWAT and hazardous materials training 24 • Organizational Structure The most logical and effective approach to establishing and maintaining a Public Safety Training Facility of Washington County would be a joint powers agreement. The agreement would outline the degree of autonomy that the training facility entity would have, as well as the financial obligations for each member city. The management arrangements planned for the South Metro Training Facility and in use for the Maple Grove Training Facilities are described below The South Metro Public Safety Training Facility will be managed in the following manner: City Councils/MAC Board. These bodies will ultimately control the facility. They will fund the organization in conjunction with their own annual budget processes. South Metro Training Facility Board. This group will be the direct governing body of the facility. Its members will set the expectations of performance and operation of the facility, monitor progress, have direct authority over facility staff, and approve the budget for the facility (subject to funding authority from the member cities). They will be responsible for making recommendations about funding, operations, and programmatic direction of the facility which might require action by the City Councils /MAC Board. Members of the Training Facility Board will be a combination of city managers or assistants, police and fire chiefs, human resource directors, finance directors and elected officials. They will bring the larger consideration of municipal government as well as those of the public safety disciplines. Each city will have an equal number of seats on the board. Training Facility Operating Committee. Police and fire safety training officers will form the working group for the operation of the facility. The Operating Committee will identify training needs, work with the Training Coordinator to schedule curricula and training sessions, ensure proper supply and maintenance for the facility, and develop a budget for approval by the Board. The Operating Committee will be involved in operations and policy development for the facility, and forward recommendations to the Board as appropriate. The Maple Grove Law Enforcement Training Facility is managed in the following manner: Budget Advisory Board. Police and Sheriffs departments representatives and finance directors for the city and county form the Budget Advisory Board for the facility. The Board meets one to two times annually and is responsible for approving the budget and any unanticipated expenditures greater than $1,000. User Advisory Board. The membership of the User Advisory Board is composed of two representatives from each user of the facility--typically a sergeant and an instructor. The Advisory Board is responsible for making management and budget recommendations and providing input into the day-to-day operation of the facility. The Board currently meets biannually, although when the facility first opened, meetings were held on a monthly basis. 25 • Facility iManagement Several options exist for management of a Public Safety Training Facility. A single, full-time Range Coordinator is responsible for scheduling and management of the Maple Grove Training Facility. The South Metro facility will probably use an on-site Coordinator and small support staff for scheduling and maintenance. The Coordinator will arrange and coordinate the curricula, monitor new training mandates, ensure certified personnel are available for the firing range and the live-fire training system, be responsible to coordinate the operation and maintenance of the facility, and market the facility's offerings to other organizations. The Coordinator will be provided by one city (which will charge the others for services), or by the entity created by a joint powers organization. .... .................... Maple Grove Law Enforcement Training Facility During the summer of 1991, the Maple Grove Police Department recognized the need to move their shooting range from its current gravel pit site due to the increased commercial development around the range. Since an outdoor range was not feasible in such a rapidly developing city, an indoor range was the focus of city officials and firearms instructors. Their desire was to incorporate all aspects of law enforcement training into the building in order to meet the continually changing needs of state- mandated training requirements. The original plans were for a 7,000 square foot building with a 7- position shooting range and multi-purpose training classroom. In the late fall of 1991, Hennepin County officials learned of Maple Grove's plans. The Sheriffs Department had been in search of a site for a shooting range for many years and were unable to find anything suitable. A proposal was made to join forces and build a facility large enough to meet the needs of both departments. With 1.3 million dollars from Hennepin County and $650,000 from Maple Grove, the facility that exists today is an example of what can be accomplished when departments pool resources to satisfy mutual interests. The Maple Grove facility was designed with other law enforcement agencies in mind as well. An agreement is in place whereby the Maple Grove Police Department is in charge of operating the facility and leasing it to all interested parties in the law enforcement community. Operating costs at the Maple Grove Training Facility will be approximately $167,000 for 1997. This includes maintenance costs and salary for a full-time range coordinator. In addition to Hennepin County and Maple Grove, other users of the facility include the Minnesota State Patrol, BCA, FBI, US Marshall's office, Airport police force and 10 to 15 suburban police departments. Many tactical teams use the Maple Grove facility because of the size of its range. The range is rented for$75.00 per hour, which covers all training materials (except guns and ammunition) and clean up. Rental income helps reduce the maintenance costs that Maple Grove and Hennepin 26 • County put into the facility each year. Any funds remaining at the end of the year are used for future purchases or any major capital purchases. The Maple Grove Training Facility consists of a 16,300 square foot building housing a 12-position shooting range, F.A.T.S. system/training room, 1200 square foot multi-purpose training room, weapons cleaning room, armorer's room, gun and ammunition rooms. The range is equipped with a Caswell rubber composite bullet trap and state-of-the-art ventilation system. There are ten shooting positions at 100 feet and two positions at 150 feet. The multi- purpose training room has many tools available for instruction as well as hands-on training. Multi-purpose training classroom Function: Training classroom for Law Enforcement Officers to be used for academic courses, defensive tactics and ASP/PR 24 re-certification. Equipment: Ceiling mounted color video projector Satellite Teleconferencing Video Imager, VCR, Overhead Projector, 35mm Slide Projector 16' marker board with track strip above board for handing instructional materials Folding mats for Defensive Tactics training can be used on the floor or velcroed to walls Eye hook in center of room for 80 lb. heavy bag Room size: Approximately 30' x 40' (1,200 square feet) Capacity for 40 students seated around tables or 80 students seated theater-style F.A.T.S. training room Function: Training classroom for Fire Arms Training System (F.A.T.S.) program; Classroom for other training when F.A.T.S. equipment is not scheduled for use Equipment: F.A.T.S. projection equipment 8' x 11' projection screen 27"television with VCR Weapons storage cabinet for 6 weapons (locks recessed into wall) Satellite teleconferencing Video Imager, VCR, Overhead Projector, 35 mm Slide Projector Marker board with tack strip above board for hanging instructional materials Room size: Approximately 20' x 26' (520 square feet) Capacity for 18 students seated around tables or 30 students seated theater-style 27 ,o 1 • . _. - •_ • - at \ i • I h , I 1 ) ., C I: / i. It I. • ,n i�— ! I. O j 1 e li j • • n I•1: Z I • • . I A.1 I vs. .1'I 1 1 1 I I I • • I■ �. 1 I I I I 1 I I i I • . z. I• ISI h j I 1.1 _ I` • Z • I S S.. I O 19 7 • i . %. . J • . . . . . . • • . ° 1 I 1 1 I I r� rr A . 1 �; • .r.rw j i £ I • • I • • • . . . . r ‘,, 0 € 173 o ti,1 c jia / ,. ••044,. 31:111 iel 1 1 i! FT- 1 - n - 1- 1- i- l = f= - ^' a r I I i i 2, : L. r.. • w3 ' s./ •• II_ f I: i r 1 • -r� I •'1 i _y-CD111110L�!I• ;' �S, ......I : J • s ewer.momZ.mo • u ;L' L) ,. = Al *n t.�� ri- t2i iz. : Ii '1i1:f ! • • 0 ( T R A flU ffl GHQ©OLII Y 1 1 1l/ 1. N ARCHITECTS T9 war G/•w.titer 0�...1 . •L --C°1...____ \ •--_— —.�.�- J rAlp t lL�...rY D�r.twrwl South Metro Public Safety Training Facility The South Metro Public Safety Training complex will be a facility to provide state-of-the-art resources for the training of police and fire fighting organizations, and public safety classes and seminars. The agencies involved in the development of this complex include the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police force, and the police and fire departments for the cities of Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minnetonka and Richfield. The South Metro Public Safety Training complex is composed of two components: a public safety classroom facility that includes a firing range, and a live burn and rescue training facility. Both facilities will provide state-of-the-art resources that will allow departments to custom fit training procedures and activities for their personnel. The goal is to develop a more effective organization that can serve and protect the overall safety of the communities they serve. The facility will be comfortable to its users, easy to maintain, convey a sense of pride, confidence and professionalism, and reinforce a positive attitude toward the activities being performed. The South Metro Public Safety Training Facility will be located on a 3.5 acre parcel in Edina's Braemer Park. Almost the entire land parcel will be utilized as setbacks are not required in this area. Limited parking will be available on the Training Facility site, with parking overflow available at the neighboring Edina Ice Arena. 29 411 • ERICKSON ARCHITECTS ROGER ERICKSON ARCHITECTS, INC. (612) 824 - 6033 5324 EMERSON AVENUE SOUTH, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55419 April 17, 1997 Ms Martina Johntz Office of Administration Washington County Government Center 14900 61st Street North P.O. Box 6 Stillwater, MN. 55082-0006 Re: Public Safety Training Facility Washington County, Minnesota Dear Ms Johntz, Enclosed are reduced copies of the Conceptual Design Drawings for the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility. The drawings include the Public Safety Building and the Fire Training Structure. The land area available for this project is 3 .5 acres, but additional parking is available at the Edina Ice Arena which is directly north of the Public Safety site. Because the site is a portion of Braemar Park in Edina, there are no required setbacks, and we are able to utilize almost the entire land area. Also enclosed is a copy of the Preliminary Cost Estimate prepared by Amcon CM, construction managers for the project. We would be available to meet with representatives of the organizations involved in planning the Washington County Public Safety Training Facility, to answer questions and to share information that has been gathered in the planning of the Maple Grove Law Enforcement Center and the South Metro Public Safety Training Facility. Please feel free to contact me at 824-6033 if we can be of any assistance. Sincerely, ROGER ERICKSON ARCHITECTS, INC. Roger A Erickson RAE:ra 30 CrI 411,1-1, e C i e ! 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Table 4: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Building Common Areas Building Common Areas Square Room Function footage Training classrooms - Classroom for fire fighters, police and reserve officers - Limited use as classroom for gun safety classes and Police Explorers - Briefing or operations room for task force operations - General meeting room for Police or Fire Departments - Classroom #1: Space for 40 people seated at tables or 100 seated in rows of chairs 1,940 - Classroom #2: Space for 24 people seated at tables or 60 seated in rows of chairs 1,020 Conference room -A room for meetings or small classes, with a large 350 conference table seating up to 12 people comfortably Audio visual room - Shared equipment storage for all shared-use audio 200 and visual equipment Table and chair - Storage for up to 32 tables and 160 chairs to allow 250 storage training classrooms to be cleared for other functions Building entrance, - Primary building entrance for employees, instructors, 880 lobby and vestibule officers scheduled for classes or training, and public (2) groups scheduled for classes or range use - Fire fighters will use fire training mud room entrance when scheduled for training outdoors -Waiting space for people scheduled to use the firearms range or classroom areas Vending area -Area for vending machines 190 Lunch room and - Space for lunches or breaks, for up to 16 people 450 kitchen - Lunch preparation area - Space for a caterer to serve hot meals to groups using building (food preparation would be at another location) Toilet and locker - Separate men's and women's toilet rooms 960 rooms (5) - Separate men's and women's locker and shower areas - Janitor's room for non-firearms range areas Mechanical and - Space for mechanical equipment for building, electrical 1,000 equipment rooms (3) service and panels, and communications equipment Circulation and walls 2,260 Total Building Common Areas 9,500 35 • • Table 5: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Office Area Office Area Square Room Function footage Management office - Office for managing and scheduling building use 220 - Space for one full time manager plus space for the possibility of a part time assistant in the future Office workroom - For use of building manager and police and fire 100 instructors Training office -Work space for 8-10 police and fire training instructors 540 Circulation and walls 240 Total!Office Area 1,100 Table 6: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Tactical Training Area Tactical Training Area Square Room Function footage Defensive tactics -Tactical training room for hand to hand defensive 1,150 training room tactics training, with space for up to 16 officers plus instructors at one time - Classroom for other training programs when not scheduled for tactical training ASP/Baton training -Tactical training room for use of the ASP and baton, 1,150 room with space for up to 8 officers at one time plus area for instructors - Classroom for fire fighters with gear on or other times when carpeted floors may not be suitable for training -Classroom for other training programs when tactical training is not scheduled Equipment storage - Storage for mats and equipment used in the defensive 430 room tactics training room and ASP/baton training room Simulation training - Classroom for Apogee program, simulated situations 750 room projected on screen, and laser fire - Classroom for driving simulation system Circulation and walls 920 Total Tactical Training Area 4,400 36 r S Table 7: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Firearms Training Area Firearms Training Area Room' Function Square footage Firearms range -- - Firing positions for 13 firing lanes, with space behind 1,440 firing line area firing positions for briefing and preparation Firearms range -- - 10 firing lanes, 100 x 5 feet each lane, primarily for 9,150 down range/ handguns, M-5 and shotguns tactical area - 3 firing lanes, 150 x 5 feet each, for high velocity rifles - Primary use for police officer training, but also avail- able for gun safety programs and youth training groups - Lane area open (entire width), providing space for shooters to move forward from the firing line - Sidewalls will be protected, allowing an officer to shoot in a 180° arc, if within 40 feet of the bullet trap - Temporary, modular, partition walls, 7 feet high, can be used to simulate various training conditions Range control room - Lighting /master control console for range master 100 Sound lock - Sound locks between the firearms ranges and other 100 entrances (2) portions of the building, to reduce noise levels Decision training - Small range with four firing lanes, with space behind 350 range -- firing line firing positions for briefing and preparation area -Waiting/briefing area for officers preparing for training Decision training - Four firing lanes, 50 x 5 feet each range -- down range handguns, MP-5 and shotguns ' primarily for 1,750 area - Space for live fire decision training, with simulated situations projected on a screen in front of the bullet trap Weapons cleaning - Place to clean weapons after firing on the range 290 room - Space for 10 - 12 officers at one time Armorer's room - Place for armorers to repair weapons. Normally not 240 more than one or two armorers working at one time. Ammunition / - Secured storage space for guns and ammunition 500 storage room - Five separate compartments, one for each department Range workshop -Workshop to build props for simulated situations and 1,000 and storage for general building and equipment repairs - Storage space for targets, range cleaning equipment and props used to create simulated situations Range mechanical - Space for mechanical equipment for firearms range 3,200 room and decision training range Circulation and walls 2,780 Total Firearms Range Areas 21,000 37 • • Table 8: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Fire Training Areas in Building Fire Training Areas in Building Square Room Function footage Fire training mud - Building entrance for fire fighters from exterior fire 480 room training areas - Indoor space for fire fighters during training -- an area to warm up during cold weather without removing gear -An area where fire fighters can store their gear (boots, pants, coats, helmets)while using classroom areas of the building Circulation and walls 120 Total Fire Training Areas in Building 600 Table 9: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Live Fire Training Structure Live Fire Training Structure square Room Function footage Live fire training - Seven story structure for fire training evolutions in high 4,030 structure --tower rise buildings, simulating fire fighting & rescue operations - Structure will be used by police entry response units for special operations in high rise buildings Live fire training -Two story structure with flat roof for fire training 830 structure -- evolutions in commercial buildings, simulating fire commercial fighting and rescue operations - Structure will be used by police entry response units for high risk entry training Live fire training -Two story evolution with sloped roof for fire training 830 structure -- evolutions in residential buildings, simulating fire fighting residential and rescue operations Live fire training - Control center for automated burner system 160 structure -- control - Space for equipment housed in live fire training room structure Equipment and - Space to clean air masks, fill air bottles and repair 120 workroom equipment Total Live Fire Training Structure 5,970 38 Table 10: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Outdoor Joint Training Areas Outdoor Joint Training Areas Room Function sq footage Burn pit -A concrete pit used for training in extinguishing 24' X 24' flammable liquid fires Trench /cave rescue -A concrete trench used to simulate rescues from caved in trench - Manhole and horizontal pipe to simulate confined space rescue Additional training - Open areas, on concrete slabs for additional training areas evolutions - Outdoor instruction space where portable bleachers can be set up - LP tank burn mock up, located on 20' x 20' slab - Large grassy area (100 x 200 feet) for use by entry teams and K-9 units; includes an obstacle course Exterior storage - Storage building for equipment and materials used for building developing fire training evolutions 670 Gas building - Separate free standing building used to expose 100 officers to the effects of tear gas Total Accessory Buildings 770 Table 11: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Total Building Areas Total Building Areas Square footage Main building Building common areas 9,500 Office area 1,100 Tactical training area 4,400 Firearms training area 21,000 Fire training areas 600 Total 36,600 Live fire training structure Total 5,970 Accessory buildings Total 770 39 • Table 12: South Metro Public Safety Training Facility, Site Development Site Development Space Function Parking - Parking space for private vehicles and police cars will be provided near the main building entrance, with a minimum 50 parking spaces Building occupancy - 250 person occupancy if all building areas occupied at the same time and training classrooms utilized for group meetings - 150 person occupancy if all building areas occupied at the same time and classrooms utilized for classroom training - 50 to 100 people projected normal building occupancy Fire access -The live fire training structure will have fire truck access on all sides (100 feet of clear space on 3 sides of the structure, minimum 20 feet on the fourth side) -The burn pit, trench cave rescue and LP tank mock up will have fire truck access on one side with paved surface on all sides of training areas Paving -Areas within 40 feet of the live fire training structure should be concrete paving. Other areas may be bituminous paving. -All paved areas may be utilized as a driving course for fire trucks and must be designed to accept weight of trucks Illumination -Training areas will be illuminated for evening training operations Fire hydrants - Four fire hydrants will be provided in training area. Water service line will be looped through the site. Fencing Fire training areas will be enclosed with chain link fencing Grassy area -A large level grass area, approximately 100 x 200 feet, will be provided for training exercises - Uses will include entry response teams, an obstacle course for training use and screening rookies, and a training space for K-9 units Water -Access to water for K-9 dogs 40 o • ENCLOSURE A To: Mike Robertson From: Melanie Mesko MEMORANDUM Subject: Public Safety Training Facility Meeting-7/8/97 Date: July 9, 1997 There were several issues discussed at this meeting. An estimate was presented on the size, costs, and additional issues regarding the construction of this type of facility. There was also a memo comparing several different options and their pros and cons as well as a rough timeline for when certain things will need to be addressed. How the project would be financed was a big topic. It seemed that the idea of a joint powers entity was the most practical option, but there still needs to be Council approval of such a plan. There was some discussion about how the cost breakdown would be determined; some cities felt that straight employee number would not be a fair allocation. A subcommittee was . established to hash out some of these details for presentation at the next meeting. It was concluded that the communitites that would be anchoring this project go ahead in the next few weeks and introduce the idea to their councils in order to get some more concrete feedback on what the future of this project could be. A follow-up meeting was not scheduled, but I expect that I will get something in the next few weeks letting me know what the plan is. ■