The Coeur d’Alene Police Department is planning to build a new training facility. 

The project, estimated not to exceed $145,000, received the go-ahead from the Coeur d’Alene City Council this week. 

“The biggest liability to a city is untrained officers,” said Councilor Christie Wood, a retired police sergeant. “We can’t let that happen here.” 

According to a city report, the police department needs space to conduct force-on-force training and realistic scenarios for about 100 officers and specialty units such as K-9 and SWAT.  

Streets and Engineering, fire and police currently share the 3800 Ramsey campus, but it's not enough.

"The expanding needs for space for each Department has prompted a collaborative discussion, planning, and redesign of our campus to best accommodate each Department," the report said.

The 60- by 40-foot structure will be near the police department headquarters. A shed where salt is stored for the street department will either be renovated or demolished, whichever turns out to be least expensive and most effective. 

Police Chief Lee White said it has been “problematic” to hold training sessions without such a facility. Last year, the department used an abandoned building for a short time and the fire department provided bays for training. Come winter, little training can be done. 

“The Coeur d’Alene Police Department has never had a location to conduct scenario-based training safely,” the report said. “We have attempted to conduct such training at the fire tower or in our parking lot previously; however, that has proven to be not only hazardous, but inadequate as well.” 

White said his department will have enough vacancy savings this fiscal year to cover the cost of the training facility. CDA Structures provided a bid of $129,487. The Street Department may do some of the prep work and disposal to keep costs down.

“Although a training facility of this type has been requested for years, the timing of this request is ideal because of the current construction and planning efforts already underway,” the report said. 

Councilor Kenny Gabriel questioned whether the proposed training structure was sufficient.

“Is that enough money?" he asked. 

White said he was comfortable it would do the job, and added there really weren't other options.

“I think this would provide us enough room,” he said. 

Wood said she appreciated White's efforts to have a training center. She said it’s the right thing to do by officers and by the law. 

She said the city doesn’t have a large budget to send officers elsewhere for training, so it must be done locally. 

“We've been very fortunate that you’ve done everything you can,” Wood said to White.