Gallatin approves additional $1.4M toward new shooting range for police training
Gallatin has approved funding for a new shooting range for city police that would also be open to other departments for officers to train.
The training range is part of a 16-acre property at 192 Commerce Way in Gallatin’s industrial park area off Airport Road.
The city council approved $1.4 million of additional funding toward the shooting range through two readings in March. That funding will be added to $414,000 already set aside, Bates said.
The Gallatin Police Department has used the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office facility for gun training. Gallatin has 93 police officer positions.
An in-house facility will allow Gallatin a more efficient schedule for trainings and qualifications, Chief of Police Don Bandy said.
“It’s something we need to do our job,” Gallatin Police Chief Don Bandy said. “It will help provide the citizens a better trained officer.”
The shooting range will have a rectangular covered pavilion area with a concrete floor and open air sides, Gallatin Economic Development Agency Assistant Director Rosemary Bates said. Construction is expected to start in the next 1-2 months after a bid for the work is accepted.
There will also be a small building with bathrooms, storage, office and a classroom, Bates said. There is a separate long rifle range outdoors, Bates said. Berms will help mitigate sound.
A second larger building “down the road,” for additional training could be considered as a second phase, Bates said.
The property, owned by the city, was set aside for fire and police department use by the Gallatin Economic Development Agency.
Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on Twitter @ AndyHumbles.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Gallatin approves funding for new shooting range for training police
