Purchase new technology, equipment, and supplies for the soon to be relocated winnebago county regional police training center

This $847,000 Project Grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.753 Congressionally Recommended Awards) will fund the purchase of new technology, equipment, and supplies for the relocation and expansion of the Winnebago County Regional Police Training Center. The project aims to improve police training regionally and provide a more realistic, controlled training environment for law enforcement, military, and civilian personnel. Key components include technology and equipment for immediate use in de-escalation, active shooter, and rapid response training, as well as the development of specialized training areas such as a simunition floor plan, tactical training space, and classrooms for large group instruction and hands-on exercises. The expanded training facility will allow for more comprehensive training scenarios and better serve the local community by enhancing the capabilities of public safety personnel.

The relocation will allow US to provide training for public safety personnel at a much higher level than in our current environment. The goal of this project is to improve police training regionally, and provide a real-world, educational experience in a controlled, convenient location. Quality training is critical to our community, and this project will not only benefit law enforcement, IT will also better serve the general public who interact with law enforcement officials. This request is for technology and equipment to allow immediate use; however, IT is part of a much larger future project. Our current police training center was first established in 2020, and has since facilitated training for more than 3,000 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials; members of the military; and civilians. ATF was the last agency to use the center when if officially closed on june 1, 2024. The current space would be considered too small for an effective regional, police training facility. Increasing the space will allow for more comprehensive training scenarios. The expansion aims to provide solutions by offering space for a wider range of training opportunities. The new facility will have space for crucial training areas like crisis intervention, bomb investigation, K9 training and will create a more realistic training environment. Training includes, but is not limited to DE-escalation, active shooter and rapid response training. This request will cover technology, supplies, and equipment allowing for the initial move and immediate use for DE-escalation, active shooter and rapid response training in the new location. Other development includes the build of the simunition floor plan and configuration of the tactical training area to include tactical scenario training models such as, but not limited to, a streetscape area; school, hospital, daycare, restaurant/bar; and jail training areas. Other expansion includes the development of large classrooms for large group instruction, practical classrooms for hands-on lab exercises and demonstrations, and a padded classroom for defensive tactics. Vacating the current building also allowed our local community college to purchase the previous training space, which will be repurposed to bring job training and educational opportunities to jail inmates and residents of a marginalized area of our city. This is a significant win for our community.