Officials propose training center

The training center for law-enforcement and emergency agencies could include an airstrip and a hotel.
& lt;a href=mailto:tullis@vindy.com & gt;By NANCY TULLIS & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County commissioners are dreaming big, and if their dreams come true, about 300 acres of Mahoning Township will be the site of a cutting-edge, multimillion-dollar regional training center for law enforcement, fire and emergency services agencies.
Jim Gagliano Jr., county planning director, asked commissioners Thursday to approve a Butler, Pa., engineering firm to draw up the plans.
Gagliano said homeland security money would likely be available for such a facility, because law enforcement, fire and emergency management personnel could train there to respond to domestic terrorism threats, natural disasters and violent crimes, such as hostage situations.
Commissioner President Roger DeCarbo said he's spoken to a U.S. Department of Justice official with knowledge of federal grants. DeCarbo told the official of a similar plan the commissioners discussed in 2000, but on a much smaller scale, a facility on about five or 10 acres.
"He told me that plan was too small," DeCarbo said. "He said if we're going to dream, we should dream big."
Funding available
The federal official told him there is federal funding available for such projects now, DeCarbo said.
DeCarbo did not ask specifically about homeland security grants, which could be another source of funding.
The official said odds are great the federal government would fund the training center because there are none similar in the eastern region of the United States. He said there are some facilities in Indiana, Maryland, Georgia and at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, for example, but most are designed specifically for one agency such as police, firefighters or Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents.
Gagliano said the area of Mahoning Township that county officials are considering is strip-mined land with no homes in the area. Gagliano said such an area would be ideal for shooting ranges and other similar training sites.
With the Justice Department official's mandate to dream big in mind, Gagliano said the engineering firm's plan will be for a 300-acre site that would include shooting ranges, an airstrip or helipad, barracks or even hotel housing, and areas designed to train police in house-to-house searches and close-quarters confrontations, such as a terrorist attack or hostage situation in an urban area.
Areas served
Gagliano said such a facility would draw law enforcement and emergency response personnel from Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and western New York.
Gagliano said the engineering firm would do preliminary design work at no cost, provided they would be paid for their services once funding is available.
Commissioners said an agreement with engineers should include a statement that the firm agrees to work for free until funding is available. Gagliano will bring a revised version of the agreement to Tuesday's commissioners' meeting.