The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office will be constructing a training facility.
Deputy Ryan Hollopeter explained to the county commissioners on Monday that the officers are required to keep up firearms training, but no longer have a location to do so because of complaints of noise from neighbors.
The Marshall County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #130 has offered the use of their location at Hawthorne Road and State Road 10 for a firearms range and the construction of a 30’ x 60’ pole building on a concrete pad for classroom training. Deputy Hollopeter said there is enough property available for rifle and handgun distance training. He said other law enforcement agencies could also use the facility for similar training. It could be opened up to the public for officer-conducted firearms training.
The building will house an office for an instructor, storage room, utility closet, two restrooms, and room for training.
Deputy Hollopeter presented quotes from different companies. It was collectively decided to approve a $37,000 quote from Borkholder in Nappanee for the purchase of the building supplies and assembly. A well will also be installed on the property.
The money to pay for the building is coming from the firearms training line item in the sheriff’s department budget. The money built up in that fund is from firearm application fees and is not taxpayer funded. Several companies have donated labor and materials to assist the sheriff’s department in this endeavor. The Marshall County F.O.P. may solicit the public for monetary support for utility and maintenance costs.
The commissioners gave their support of the project but asked that any agreements between the sheriff’s department and contractors or service providers be given to County Attorney Jim Clevenger for review.
