CLAREMORE, Okla. — A new plan is in the works to create a Tri-County Fire and Police Training Center in Claremore.
“It’s very important that we have access to this type of training,” said Claremore Police Chief Stan Brown.
Brown said he’s been in law enforcement for 33 years. He says now, more than ever, is a vital need for cross-training among his department, smaller agencies, and other first responders like firefighters.
“It’s becoming more and more recognized that we’ve got to step up and this is a tool to get us there,” Brown said.
He is at the forefront of plans to create the regional training center in Claremore. The city already owns more than 17 acres of land where they plan to build the new facility on SH-66.
Brown says there are two main goals of the center — first, to provide a new firing range for officers in Claremore and across the region. He says new housing development near their current firing range is making it more difficult for them to practice at their current space.
“A firing range is of primary importance to us right now,” Brown said.
Their second goal is to provide cross-training opportunities, so in the event of a major disaster or mass shooting all of the agencies close by are trained in the same way.
“Smaller capacity agencies or smaller size agencies we deserve an opportunity for that type of training just like the larger agencies do,” Brown said. “Not only that the citizens in our community and region deserve it even more.”
He says they have $1 million in ARPA funds from Rogers County and $1.2 million in Cares Act money from the City of Claremore. Their next step is to receive engineering renderings which will help them finalize the layout and get a better idea of the cost of the project.
Brown says they hope to have the new firing range finished in the next fiscal year. It could be 2-3 more years before the rest of the project is finalized.
Trending Stories:
- Man charged with killing 4 workers at Oklahoma pot farm
- DOWNLOAD the 2 News Oklahoma app for alerts
- Tulsa names Ohio State OC Kevin Wilson as next head football coach
- FOLLOW 2 News Oklahoma on Facebook
- Suspect charged in Okmulgee quad murder
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
