The Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy told the Joint Appropriations Committee it needs major capital investments to maintain training capacity and safety. Academy leadership described a proposed Emergency Vehicle Operations Complex (EVOC) on newly acquired acreage west of Douglas and a suite of firing-range upgrades to replace aging, noncompliant ranges.

Director Chuck Behn said the EVOC plan envisions an approximately 70-acre site with a 1,400-foot straightaway and multiple loops for high-speed, skid and off-road training. "The anticipated design associated with the Emergency Vehicle Operation Center has a variety of components using about 70 acres... a 1,400 foot straightaway," he told the committee. The academy said the complex would also support county sheriffs, game-and-fish vehicle training and statewide agency needs that currently require out-of-state travel.

On firearms training, the academy proposed a new indoor 50-yard, 30-lane range plus a 30-lane 100-yard outdoor range and expanded long-gun capabilities. Leaders said the existing indoor range (25 yards, 12 stations) limits throughput for classes and that modern laboratories and storage (ammunition, armory) are necessary to comply with training standards and reduce community noise impacts.

Academy officials also raised an immediate operating problem: rising utility bills at the Douglas campus have pushed the academy into the red. The director asked the committee to flag the academy's utility position and said the academy has been making tradeoffs within its budget to keep programs running.

What's next: The academy seeks level-3 construction funding for the EVOC and range projects and an operating allocation to cover immediate utility shortfalls. The committee asked for phased cost and timeline estimates and for clarification on footprint, operating costs and shared-use agreements with local agencies.

Attribution for quotes is limited to speakers who appear in the hearing record.