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Bristol secures federal funds to begin planning regional police and fire training facility
Summary
City leaders said federal funds have jump-started planning for a regional police-and-fire training center that they say would include an indoor firing range and CPAT testing space, serve neighboring states and address training gaps; site and building are not yet chosen.
Mayor Zappo Sasse and state and federal officials onstage in Bristol announced federal funding to kick-start planning for a regional training facility for police and fire that officials described as the first of its kind in New England.
Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz said Congressman John Larson secured federal funding "$3,150,000" to build what she called the first active‑shooter training facility in New England and described the project as a "regional asset" that Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts municipalities would use. "This investment is about saving lives and making our communities safer," Bysiewicz said.
The announcement included technical details from Chief Hart, who described a two‑story active‑shooter training environment, an indoor CPAT (Candidate Physical Ability Test) area for firefighter testing, an indoor firing range for firearms qualifications and spaces for rope rescue, confined‑space drills and SWAT medic training. "By making this an indoor facility, we're able to draw from New England states," Chief Hart said, adding that Connecticut currently struggles to run some tests because the existing Meriden facility is outdoors and weather‑limited.
Officer Alec Iarado gave a first‑person account of why the training matters. Describing an exercise and a later real event on Oct. 12, 2022, he said Detective Kevin Monahan "put a tourniquet on my right leg saving my life," arguing that realistic, joint training for police and fire teams is essential.
Congressman John Larson praised local leaders for assembling the grant application and described the award as "$3,000,000 plus," framing the funds as a starting point that will allow the city to formalize site selection and budgeting. Mayor Zappo Sasse said the grant enables the city to move from planning to a formal process—identifying locations, working with the board of finance and developing a multiyear budget—but emphasized that the city currently has neither a building nor a chosen site.
State Representative Mary Fortier, who helped organize meetings with the governor's office and other legislators, said indoor ranges are needed statewide because outdoor facilities can be restricted by weather and neighborhood noise, limiting training time for many towns.
Officials did not announce a construction timeline, an exact total project budget beyond the federal award, or a final site. They said additional state funding and local planning dollars may follow. No formal votes or policy decisions were taken during the event; officials said they would return to the city finance board and other partners as planning continues.
The mayor closed by inviting media to ask questions and said city staff would be available for follow‑up; officials emphasized the next steps are site selection and formal budget planning.
