Endicott Police Range Upgrade Will Offer More Realistic Training

A $350,000 state grant will be used to improve training operations at the Endicott police headquarters.

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, an Endwell Democrat, announced the funding on Monday.

The shooting range at the Endicott's law enforcement training facility will be upgraded with $200,000 of the grant.

New material will be installed along the front and side walls of the range, which is located in the basement of the village police department headquarters on Park Street.

Rubber "bricks" will be used along with a bullet trap system. The range currently is rated for handgun training. The enhancements will allow law enforcement officers to train with patrol rifles.

The state funds also will be used to acquire a 360-degree virtual reality platform capable of training four officers simultaneously in active shooting scenarios and other situations.

The scenarios will simulate mental health crises, de-escalation efforts and emergency intervention.

The virtual reality equipment will enable police officers to train with the Mental Health Association of the Southern Tier's mobile crisis team members.

The Endicott police training site will be used by several other Broome County law enforcement agencies.

Endicott police chief Patrick Garey said he expects construction work on the range improvements will get underway soon.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.