Westchester to build $7M police firing range

[x635 4,066]

Sounds pretty neat! This is long-overdue for the LEO's of the WC.

Westchester to build $7M police firing range

By RICHARD LIEBSON

rliebson@thejournalnews.com

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: December 18, 2005)

Police officers in Westchester County will have a new place to get ready, aim and fire next year after the Board of Legislators approved a $1.54 billion budget for 2006 that includes $7 million for the design and construction of an indoor pistol range.

Thomas Belfiore, the county public safety commissioner, said construction of the 15,000-square-foot range could begin next month at the Grasslands Reservation Police Academy in Valhalla.

The range, scheduled for completion in January 2007, will consist of a one-story building next to the academy on what is now a parking lot off Dana Road.

Although a handful of police departments maintain their own firing ranges, most train at the county facility at the Blue Mountain Reservation in Cortlandt.

That range, which officials say is no longer adequate for police training, is also open to the public.

Police training at the Camp Smith range was curtailed after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks so that the range could be used by National Guard and Reserve troops.

Belfiore said that about 1,600 county employees, including police, correction and probation officers, district attorney's investigators, and police recruits carry weapons and have to receive training at least once a year.

An additional 2,500 police officers from local departments train at county facilities he said.

"My people train once a year right now, and, frankly, that's not enough,'' he said. "We're only going to have to do more firearms training in the future, and this facility will allow us to do that and give us room to grow.''

The 18-lane firing range will allow training to take place seven days a week and will accommodate low-light and night shooting. Belfiore said officers will be able to move while firing, fire at movable targets and participate in team exercises.

To make training more realistic, he said, a police car can be driven inside and used as cover by shooters acting out different scenarios.

The facility will include classroom space, a weapons cleaning and maintenance area, an ammunition storage area and a laundry room.

"It's not a state-of-the-art range — it doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles that require a lot of maintenance. I don't think we need that,'' Belfiore said.

"What we're getting is a very utilitarian facility that is simple and allows us to conduct the training we need.

"The classroom is very important. We don't have that at Blue Mountain. Cops spend the least amount of their time at the range shooting. Most of it is refamiliarizing themselves with their weapons and the judgments that they have to make before they use them.''

Bronxville Police Chief Brian Downey, who next month becomes president of the Westchester County Chiefs of Police Association, said most area chiefs are looking forward to the new range.

"It's a long time coming,'' he said. "Most of the departments in Westchester struggle for space to conduct shooting training. Construction of this range will enhance law enforcement throughout the county.''

[Guest WCDES636]

They should attach it to control. That way we have something to do when it's quite.

[ems-buff 81]

They should attach it to control. That way we have something to do when it's quite.

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Who's going to be the wearing the target?

[Remember585 815]

Hopefully 648. I would wear one but everyone loves Roundhead!