Newly Expanded Maple Grove Public Safety Training Facility Unveiled
The long-awaited addition to the North Metro Regional Public Safety Training Facility officially opened after a ribbon cutting Monday.
Elected officials and law enforcement leaders from across the northwest suburbs converged to celebrate both the cutting-edge training now available along with the broad campaign to find state, local and even federal funding to make the $17 million facility a reality.
Law enforcement leaders from across the Twin Cities region celebrated the ribbon cutting at the $17 million addition to the North Metro Regional Public Safety Training Facility in Maple Grove on Monday.
“We are grateful for the commitment to and investment in police training that ultimately puts the highest-quality officers in our communities, which keeps our citizens safe,” said Maple Grove Police Chief Eric Werner.
The new spaces include more classrooms, more indoor shooting range space and a 300-degree multi-screen virtual simulator that plays out various scenarios officers may face when responding to a wide variety of calls for help.
An officer demonstrates new virtual reality-style training at the addition to the North Metro Regional Public Safety Training Facility in Maple Grove on Monday.
“That is so important now, in a time when we’re being pressed to be perfect,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt. “The only thing that will get you close to perfect is training.”
Officers from Maple Grove, Plymouth, Brooklyn Park and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office make up the more than 20 agencies that send personnel there to train.
Maple Grove used more than $3 million in state bonds to help shepherd the project along.
