After the recent range closures and scheduling difficulties at the Elk Neck State Park Shooting Range, the creation of a firearms range in Cecil County is necessary to adequately train officers and reduce operating and travel costs incurred by obtaining firearms training at outside facilities. Scheduling of range time has become increasingly difficult due to multiple agencies vying for time at fewer facilities. The proposed facility will be located in Cecil County and will be jointly funded by Cecil County and the City of Newark, whose Police Department faces similar issues with firearms training. The addition of a new departmental range will improve the efficiency and quality of training and expand training opportunities which target the needs of specially trained officers, specialized units, and the CCSO firearms training program in general. It would allow for more efficient scheduling of officers for in-service training, limiting the need for overtime and additional personnel at each training session. The CCSO and the Newark Police Department have been engaged in talks to acquire a tract of land owned by Cecil County that would be leased to the city of Newark for 50+ years at little cost. CCSO and NPD would be full partners upon construction completion. The project is included in the county's 2023-2028 capital improvement plan (CIP). As of December 9, 2022, further details regarding design and construction have not been identified.* *Project information has been obtained through a public capital improvement plan (CIP). A CIP is a financial schedule for short- and long-range projects which is updated regularly. Information listed in the CIP often evolves based on funding availability and the project details, including timeline and value, are subject to change. The content management team will continue to pursue additional details as they become available.
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