The Missouri Department of Public Safety has announced a grant of $50 million for the construction of the Gateway Regional Law Enforcement Training Center. The facility, which will be located in Chesterfield, will provide training for new recruits and veteran officers, as well as virtual reality simulator rooms. It will include a gun range, classrooms, auditorium, gyms, and a simulation area with a public mezzanine. Lt. Col. Norman Mann of the St. Louis County Police Department expressed excitement over the long-awaited project, calling it a game changer for recruitment efforts.
Officials emphasized that departments with limited training resources will also benefit from the new facility, as it will provide training to officers from across the region. The state’s public safety department will fully fund the construction of the two-story building, with plans to acquire property, hire a construction manager, and finalize legal matters before construction can begin. Plans for an 80-acre driving track may be revised due to land constraints.
Sheriff Dave Marshak of Jefferson County highlighted the facility’s unique feature of allowing civilians to observe law enforcement training and emphasized the importance of virtual reality training in de-escalating situations. Overall, the Gateway Regional Law Enforcement Training Center is set to benefit the entire St. Louis region by providing state-of-the-art training for law enforcement officers.
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