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Police chief asks commissioners to consider local firing range, replacement of armored vehicle
Summary
Chief Pat Kitchens briefed commissioners on a baseline plan for a dedicated gun range and on replacing a 22-year-old armored vehicle (BearCat); the range estimates ranged from about $1.2 million (outdoor) to $4–4.5 million (indoor), and the armored vehicle replacement is partially budgeted.
Leavenworth Police Chief Pat Kitchens told the commission the department is exploring construction of its own gun range because scheduling time at the shared range (Lansing Correctional Facility/USP) has become more difficult and the facility is aging.
Kitchens said architect-concept estimates for an outdoor range were about $1.2 million; an indoor range, which requires air-quality controls to collect lead and condition exhaust, would be roughly $4 million to $4.5 million. Kitchens said the department is also exploring a public–private partnership and potential cost-sharing with neighboring law-enforcement agencies.
Kitchens and commissioners discussed possible shared use with local agencies (Leavenworth, Lansing and surrounding jurisdictions) and revenue opportunities such as paid public classes or retail services to offset operating costs. Kitchens framed the current presentation as a baseline conversation to start more detailed planning and public–private partnership work.
Armored vehicle replacement: Kitchens said the department’s 22-year-old BearCat armored vehicle is past its normal life cycle. He said the city has allocated about half of the funds needed to replace it and that staff will pursue federal grant assistance and potential cost-sharing with other county agencies.
Body and in-car cameras: staff noted that body-worn cameras and in-car camera systems were a higher immediate priority for the department; those expenditures were moved into the operating budget (lease) so the CIP discussion tonight did not include those items.
Why it matters: A local range would increase the department’s training capacity and scheduling flexibility and could serve other agencies and the public. The armored-vehicle replacement has been partially funded and remains a multi-year procurement.
Next steps: The police department will pursue public–private partnership options, discuss potential cost-sharing with neighboring agencies, and return with more detailed cost and funding proposals; staff also said they will continue pursuing federal grant opportunities for equipment replacement.
