ATLANTA — From plumes of Georgia red clay dirt to a state-of-the-art paved emergency vehicle training track, a lot is taking shape at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Facility.
On Tuesday, Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln got a first look at the $67 million facility that houses a horse stable, kennel, fire tower, community trail, and also a state-of-the-art classroom building.
“It has everything you think a fire and police training center will have -- fire, police tactics rooms, defense training rooms. We want our firearms to be the very last option that we use in any situation,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said.
City leaders say the location of every building on the property was done under the consideration of the stakeholder group which includes members from more than a dozen surrounding communities.
“A lot of thought has been put into the where and how it’s structured,” Schierbaum said.
The tactical side of the facility will include a mock village where both police and fire will utilize it to train in simulations.
That side of the property sits along Constitution Road near an industrial area that’s away from homes.
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Schierbaum said they brought in extra trees to create a sound barrier and conducted several sound studies to ensure the sound was away from residential neighborhoods.
Police said they will utilize the mock village to simulate active shooter drills, domestic violence calls, and other common 911 scenarios.
Atlanta Fire Chief Roderick Smith told Lincoln that firefighters are currently having to train in Douglasville just to use a fire tower. The newly built tower on site is one of only two designs in the nation.
Firefighters will also utilize a simulated fire station that will teach firefighters how to respond to calls from the moment they’re dispatched from 911.
Lincoln asked Smith about how valuable it is to have training right at the origin of a call.
“It is huge for us because of what it does in minimizing mistakes,” Smith said.
Smith said that recruits are currently training overnight on Atlanta streets to learn how to operate a fire truck.
“If you practice how you play when you play it’s going to be an effortless act,” Smith said.
The facility will also feature a 9-mile walking trial.
Channel 2 Action News has reported on how protesters have contributed to millions in damages from protests against the facility.
Atlanta police say they will continue to have patrols and gated sections around the site to prevent acts of vandalism.