Glendale may build indoor firing range for police, Luke air base aviators at next to no cost for city

Luke Air Force Base may soon share a new indoor firing range with Glendale police officers.

Glendale councilmembers directed city staff Tuesday afternoon to identify funding options and continue working with base officials on locating a suitable city-owned site for the joint-use project.

At the heart of the proposed deal would be the city’s commitment to construct the small arms range for the base and, in turn, the U.S. Department of Defense would repay Glendale over an agreed-upon timeframe, according to Deputy City Manager Rick St. John.

Building the project, he told the council, would be “literally next to no cost to the city.”

The city would own and operate the facility, while Luke Air Force Base gets first dibs for its stationed aviators to use. The site would also give Glendale’s police an indoor location for firearms training.

“We just need a place where our officers can train, be proficient, and when they go out on calls, we know they’ve got the best training possible,” Mayor Jerry Weiers said. “Same thing for the DoD, for the Air Force folks.”

How did this proposed deal come about?

A similar agreement between Spokane County in Washington and Fairchild Air Force Base inspired Glendale’s own proposal with the military.

County officials there inked a deal with the base to construct a firing range and training center. Opening last October, the $41 million facility includes, among other things, a 21-lane indoor small arms range and video training simulators.

Spokane contributed $26 million toward the project for the Air Force and the county sheriff’s office. The Air Force’s $15 million share largely covered the small arms range.

Along with city staff, Weiers recently took a trip to Washington to tour the site and learn more about Spokane County’s agreement with the Air Force.

The city, Weiers said, wouldn’t spend the same amount of money Spokane did, as only the firing range portion is being considered.

Glendale already has a training facility in partnership with neighboring cities, he noted.

As part of the proposed agreement, the city would also get its money back, plus interest, Weiers stressed.

The Spokane agreement has the military on a seven-year payment plan, St. John said.

It also requires the defense department to pay the ongoing operating costs, amounting to nearly $500,000 a year, according to Weiers.

Luke Air Force Base personnel have an existing range on the base for firearm training, according to Sean Clements, chief of media relations at Luke Air Force Base.

Asked about the benefits of having Glendale construct a firing range for the base, Clements noted the Air Force’s tradition of partnerships “to advance mission capability, improve quality of life for our service members and their families, and save money.”

“By optimizing both parties’ intellectual capital and innovative spirit, these collaborations create efficiencies and improve capacity across the board,” he stated in an email.

What does Glendale get out of this?

Should Glendale leaders and the defense department agree to partner, Luke Air Force Base would have first rights to use the facility.

When it’s not using the range, Glendale can open it up to other agencies to rent out, generating revenue for the city, St. John said.

For Weiers, the range will allow Glendale’s police officers to maintain firearms training in the comfort of an indoor facility during the summer.

“The advantage to the city is right now we don’t have an indoor range,” Weiers said. “Our officers aren’t training in the summertime because it’s just way too hot.”

Officers and firefighters from Avondale, Glendale, Peoria and Surprise have the Glendale Regional Public Safety Training Center. Located at 115th and Glendale avenues, the 56-acre training site is referred to by its acronym, GRPSTC, or "grip stick."

The $45 million facility, which opened in 2007, includes indoor space for classrooms, a computer lab and a fitness room, among other things. There is also a driver training track, a simulated fire station and a 5-story burn and drill tower.

Councilmember Bart Turner on Tuesday asked whether the proposed firing range could be built at the training facility.

With the city working on a Master Plan study — a municipality’s blueprint for future land use, infrastructure and community growth — GRPSTC was considered as a potential location, according to St. John.

However, based on initial findings, he said, the site doesn’t appear to be a viable option. He acknowledged that he didn't know why it wasn’t practical, noting that he will learn more when the study is complete.

As the proposal’s biggest supporter, Weiers reiterated the anticipated benefits a new firing range would create, including partnership opportunities with other cities and generating revenue.

“I’ve never seen an opportunity where we have a better chance of getting a facility that will do more good for virtually, almost nothing — almost nothing,” he said, repeating himself for emphasis. “And it’s ours.”

Shawn Raymundo covers the West Valley cities of Glendale, Peoria and Surprise. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Glendale, Luke Air Force Base exploring partnership for firearm range