The Prince William County Police Department (PWCPD) is receiving extra space to conduct firearms training.
A contract to purchase Elite Shooting Sports was OK’d by the Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) on Tuesday. The owner plans to retire, according to a release from the police department.
Standing at 7751 Doane Drive in Manassas, the shooting range contains four classrooms and four bays. It has 42 lanes that can be used for training, with distances that range from 25 to 100 yards.
It comes with enough parking and an estimated $22 million price tag. Constructing a new space for firearms training is estimated to cost more than $28 million.
“This facility offers our officers the training needed in today’s environment without undue cost and delays experienced with a complete new build,” PWCPD Chief Peter Newsham said in a release. “Adequately training officers has never been more important than it is now. This facility is a win-win for the police department and the community we serve.”
Elite Shooting Sports is an upgrade from the Pennington Range, which is located at the Public Safety Training Center in Nokesville.
Pennington Range features one bay, 12 training lanes that are limited to 50 yards, and a classroom. Space used for office purposes, storage, taking care of weapons, and parking is lacking. The range is outside, which means that training can be effected by noise complaints and inclement weather.
When the facility was built in 1995, the PWCPD was made up of more than 300 officers – a number that now surpasses 700.
