Oklahoma Department of Public Safety

PROJECT PURPOSE

The purpose of this project is to build an all-inclusive Public Safety Training Center that will be utilized by law enforcement and public safety professionals nationwide. All aspects of law enforcement training will be located on one campus. The new campus will include a gun range, driving track, dorm rooms for Academy's, over-night rooms for visiting officials, offices, gymnasium, out-door physical fitness area, K-9 training, cafeteria, and pool for dive teams and water rescues.

EVIDENCE

States like Virginia, Texas, and Louisiana have all-inclusive Public Safety Training Centers. An all-inclusive training campus provides for more efficient training and can be a revenue generating source. State-of-the-art facilities provide a safer, more efficient, training atmosphere to train law enforcement officers and public safety professionals.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

OHP is a first-responder. Being a first-responder, it is imperative to have the most up-to-date training. The current configuration of dorm rooms and classrooms has caused the OHP to alter housing, training, and meals for cadets, as well as Academy staff. The OHP Academy is a 16-week, in-house training course. The Academy conducted in 2020 forced OHP to house all cadets in local hotels to provide proper social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The 2021 Academy was conducted with cadets staying home and training sessions conducted via Teams. This type of atmosphere is a less effective method of training Troopers. However, this was the safest method to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Providing law enforcement officers with in-person training gives the officer the tools needed to respond appropriately when dealing with the public.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

The measurement of the project will be the acceptance of engineering and architectural plans, building materials, safety inspections and aspects of the campus, functionality of the Public Safety Training Center, and operational readiness.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding