The Southwest Iowa Training Center has a new 100-yard training range. The Southwest Iowa Training Center was constructed in 2005, but the 100-yard training range was removed from the plans due to funding. Sixteen years later, the City of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County are pleased to offer this additional training facility.
In June of 2020, The City of Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County began working together to design and install a new 100-yard firearms training range at the Southwest Iowa Training Center. Under the updated 28E Agreement, the City is the landowner and fiscal agent. The Council Bluffs Police Department provides personnel who schedule use of the Training Center facilities, coordinate day-to-day operations, and ongoing facility maintenance. Pottawattamie County shares the facility and helps support capital improvement projects at the training center.
“The partnership between the City of Council Bluffs Police Department and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office demonstrates a collaborative commitment to our community’s public safety,” said Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh.
In addition to the Council Bluffs Police Department and Pottawattamie County Sheriff personnel, the Training Center is used by 58 different agencies from Iowa and Nebraska. More than 1,000 law enforcement officials complete firearms training and defensive tactic training at the Training Center annually.
The Training Center houses three classrooms, one of which is fully padded and is used for defensive tactics training, two indoor 25-yard firearms training ranges, an outdoor 50-yard firearms training range, the new 100-yard outdoor firearms training range, a weapons cleaning room, office space, and a break area.
In 2020, the City of Council Bluffs let requests for proposals for the new training range. HGM Associates, Inc. was awarded the architecture and engineering services contract, Action Target International was awarded the contract for the target systems, and Lund-Ross, Inc. was awarded the contract for general contractor services. The 100-yard training range planning team consisted of personnel from City of Council Bluffs Police Department and Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office.
“We want to thank the Council Bluffs City Council and the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors for their support on this joint project,” said Council Bluffs Police Chief Tim Carmody. “This is a tremendous investment in public safety, not only in Pottawattamie County, but in this region. This new range and the rest of the training center will support public safety training for generations to come. We will do our best to ensure we get the best return on our collective investment.”
The total cost of the 100-yard range was $3 million and split between the City and the County providing this shared training amenity at no additional cost to taxpayers. All outside agencies that use the facility pay an hourly rate to cover the cost of ongoing maintenance and operation. The Training Center’s annual revenues average between $40,000 and $70,000.
“This addition has been long awaited,” said Pottawattamie County Sheriff Andy Brown. “We are grateful for the partnership with the City and look forward to sharing this new training facility with our region.”