City opens $5.3M Police, Fire training center

City officials have scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony today for the $5.3 million Springfield Regional Police and Fire Training Center.

The 28,443-square-foot center is an addition to the joint South District Police Station and Fire Station No. 6, 2620 W. Battlefield Road, according to a news release.

The center includes six multipurpose classrooms and a computer lab, a weight room, locker rooms and a two-story situational training room with an elevated catwalk allowing instructors to observe. It also features rappel positions on exterior walls, elevated egress doors for building rescue training and roof hatch access for overhead roof entry training.

“For years, officers with the SPD have had to travel to other locations around the state due to insufficient space and the lack of resources capable of hosting training at the Police Department,” Police Chief Paul Williams said in the release. “This new facility will allow the city to host multiple training events and sponsor training by outside agencies. 

"This will eliminate the need to travel, thereby reducing expenses and keeping our staff here locally.”

The center - funded by city-issued bonds paid by 2004 level property taxes - was built by R.E. Smith Construction Co. and designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards by Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative and Paragon Architecture Inc. Engineers were HDR Engineering Inc., civil; Toth and Associates Inc., structural; and Smith-Goth Engineers Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

The ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the West Battlefield Road center.[[In-content Ad]]