AURORA — It could take up to $100 million to build a regional training facility for firefighters and law enforcement officers, but Aurora and Denver are pushing to make it a reality.
Places where police officers and firefighters currently train in the two cities will be shut down within the next two years to make way for new light-rail lines.
“I definitely think it’s going to happen,” said Aurora Councilwoman Sue Sandstrom, chairwoman of the city’s public safety committee. “Why duplicate those facilities in different places all over the region when we can work together? It’s less expensive than if each individual entity tried to build their own.”
The cities have worked on plans for the Regional Public Safety Training Academy for more than a year.
The favored site, 175 acres at the former Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Adams County, would include amenities such as outdoor shooting ranges, a gymnasium, a running track, a driving track, classrooms and a “scenario village” for urban and rural training environments.
Aurora and Denver are spending about $200,000 combined to study options, but officials say a facility is badly needed.
The Colorado Department of Corrections, Colorado State Patrol, Brighton, Broomfield, Commerce City, Littleton and Golden have expressed interest in a shared training center.
Although officials admit the timetable is optimistic, they would like to have the training academy opened by fall of 2010.
“The idea has become real,” Mary Malatesta, Denver’s deputy manager of public safety, said. “We have to have this ready to open.”
Aurora Deputy City Manager Frank Ragan said the facility would cost between $85 million and $100 million and could require involvement by the legislature to ensure the purchase of the site.
No one knows how the training facility would be paid for. It could be funded with Homeland Security money, federal grants and public and private money, Malatesta said at a recent meeting with Aurora officials.
Officials hope the training center could make money as well.
They envision police and fire departments from other states using it for a fee. And the driving track could be rented out to trucking companies, for instance.
“This is an example of good, long- range planning,” Sandstrom said. “I think it would be an excellent facility for the whole region.”
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175 or cillescas@denverpost.com
