Marshall County Sheriff’s Department Training Officer Ryan Hollopeter and Deputy Travis ONeal presented a plan to create a firearms training facility for Marshall County.
With four recent major events involving law enforcement across the United States; Eric Garner killed when an officer put him in a chokehold in New York, Ferguson, Missouri where an officer shot an unarmed black man, the Tulsa Reserve Deputy who mistakenly used his firearm instead of his tazer, North Charleston, South Carolina where the officer shot a man in the back who was running away. Hollopeter said, “I’m not here to debate or defend those officers or to point out whether they were right or wrong. I’m a firearms instructor for my department specialized in not only firearms on three platforms but also active shooter response.” These cases prove that training is the building block that sets it up. “I want to make sure they have the ability and knowhow to make the right decisions at the right times. I’m trying to address and stress the need for training in our county,” Officer Hollopeter said.
There are approximately 15 instructors in the county who can teach on the various techniques officers use but there is a lack of space. The two deputies discussed the need for a firearm and training facility noting that the training room in the correctional facility is nice but you have to move tables and chairs and then put down tactical mats before you get a dozen officers working on technique. Officers had been taking firearms training at private shooting ranges in the county but there have been disputes with the individuals’ neighbors because of the noise. It was noted that these facilities also lack restrooms facilities and a place to get out of the weather. They have also traveled to Kosciusko County but travel time costs the county money.
After looking at the possibility of placing a facility on the Sheriff’s Department property or at the county’s gravel pit on 5C Road the deputies determined the best location would be the current shooting range owned by FOP Lodge 130 located on Hawthorn Road north of State Road 10. Officers had used this property but it’s been about seven years since that’s happened and the site needs improvements. The advantage of this site is that it’s already a range, and it’s been there for 30 plus years. It has fallen into disrepair.
The proposal is for the development of a firearms range with a maximum range of 100 yards, a second range for hand gun training and a building with restroom facilities, a place for storage and other types of training.
Travis O’Neal is not only a deputy in Marshall County, but he is President of FOP 103. O’Neal said “The FOP is always been committed to working with local law enforcement agencies and trying to make sure the police officers in the community are getting the proper training that they need.” The need for a local range will not only benefit the sheriff’s department but all law enforcement in the county. He anticipated use of range would be once or twice a month.
The deputies were basically at the commissioner’s meeting to let them know they plan to invest training fund dollars from the Sheriff’s Department in the amount of approximately $39,000 to build the shell of a 30 by 60 pole building that would house two restrooms, a storage room, instructor’s office and training area.
Revenues in the training fund come from the issuance of gun permits and from rental space monthly for the electronic fingerprints in the lobby of the jail. Hollopeter noted the increase in permits and said they currently have $76,000 in the fund. He also noted that the fund grows by approximately $25,000 a year. This fund does pay for ammunition and weaponry.
They have received quotes from four sources for the building with Borkholders being the lowest for material at $17,653. Landmark Building will do the construction and concrete work for $12,535 and Chain-O-Lake Excavating will do the dirt work for their fuel costs estimated to be $1,000. Stockberger Trucking estimated 500 to 800 tons of dirt necessary to build the backstops with a high end cost estimate of $6,000. These are the expenses the Sheriff’s training fund would cover.
Since FOP 130 in a non-profit they can solicit donations for the project and have already received several including the target stands from I.T. Equipment and insulation for the building from Pregis. The FOP will take care of a well or solicit donations for a well. REMC will install the electricity to the facility with a maximum cost of $500 but anticipated to be much less.
It was noted that the Sheriff’s Department use to pay approximately $2,000 a year to use to old FOP facility. The FOP is willing to offer free use of the facility for at least the next 10 years with no range fees in exchange for this sizable donation. If other police agencies offer funds for the project they too could be offered compensation on usage fees. The FOP will pay for insurance, utilities and maintenance.
An agreement needs to be created with the commissioners to cover the county’s investment but the commissioners endorsed the project.
