The Kissimmee Police Department has taken the wraps off its new indoor training facility on John Young Parkway just north of The Oaks.
The agency is working on what day to show it off to the community via the media.
Lt. Ian Downing, who manages KPD’s Professional Standards division, said an indoor training complex to replace its outdoor one on Hoagland Boulevard increases safety and the ability to train at any time. The non-descript building was built on donated land from the Hastings family and backs up to Pleasant Hill Elementary.
The main attraction is a 20-lane, 50-yard shooting range that is soundproofed (“Even standing right outside you can barely hear anything,” Downing said). It also includes a defensive tactic lab and office space, so the building will always be staffed.
“It’s eco-friendly, because everything is contained indoors. We’ll be able to train longer because we don’t have to worry about the heat,” Downing said. “That we can contain any hazardous stuff indoors also adds to the safety.”
There is a tower that Kissimmee Fire Department can also use for training, that KPD will use for scenario-based tactical training.
