HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — As people call for more extensive training for police, the Huntsville Police Department now has a new joint Firearms Training Facility with the FBI.
Every Huntsville police officer will go through training at the facility and work to become certified in national standards. Both Huntsville Police and the FBI will train in the building.
The FBI contributed $5 million to this joint partnership with the Huntsville Police Department.
FBI Birmingham Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp said, "That's how the FBI and the Huntsville Police Department interact. We act as one team engaged in one fight to protect and serve the citizens of North Alabama."
There are seven different training sites at the facility. There is 14,000 square feet of indoor training and conference rooms, a fitness center, a 40 lane outdoor range, a 270 degree “all purpose” range, a 600-yard rifle range, and a 7,500 square foot Tactical Training Building.
Police Chief Mark McMurray says there's now more of an emphasis on training due to the current Black Lives Matter movement.
"We need to train harder. We need to certify to these national standards," said Chief McMurray. "It's what keeps us on the edge. It's what keeps us on perfection. We want to maintain the highest training possible for our officers, because with that training comes confidence."
Huntsville Council Member Frances Akridge spoke at the ribbon cutting. She says her hope is for the community to live in harmony.
"That requires a lot of respect from everybody and especially for police. It requires learning from all of us," said Akridge.
Officers training at the facility will take specialized courses like weapons manipulation, firearms training, and building clearing.
"The tactical range on the south end for instance of this facility allows officers to deescalate training so it takes the officers from the car, where they can step out and use their car for cover and actually deescalate a situation like on a vehicle stop for instance. We couldn't do that before," said Chief McMurray.
The facility can be used 24-7 allowing officers to train at any time and in any kind of weather.
WATCH: Firearms Training Facility Ribbon Cutting
