Lakeville eyes new public safety training facility as it gets closer to funding goal

Maraya King, Pioneer Press
Updated ·2 min read
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The city of Lakeville is one step closer to being home to a multimillion-dollar public safety training facility for Dakota County law enforcement, thanks to $800,000 in federal funding.

The latest round of funding for the training facility was announced Monday by U.S. Rep. Angie Craig. Plans for the training facility include physical and virtual training areas, a firing range, armory, a tactical training room and classrooms.

The training facility could cost as much as $24 million, but the city is hoping to keep the price tag around $14 million to $20 million, said Lakeville City Administrator Justin Miller.

In addition to the recent federal funding, $7 million has been committed to the project from the state, Miller said, and the city is requesting additional funding from both state and federal agencies.

The project has yet to be bid out, Miller said, but the city has entered into a contract with St. Paul-based Oertel Architects to begin developing designs for the facility, which is planned to be constructed at the city’s former public works site at 7777 214th St.

“As public officials, we have a responsibility to provide every member of the law enforcement community with the training, resources and protection they need to do their jobs – and do their jobs safely,” said Craig, a Democrat who represents the south metro, in a news release.

Submitted by U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith and Rep. Craig last spring with the help of Lakeville Mayor Luke Hellier and Police Chief Brad Paulson, the federal funding request noted that there is no current public safety training space, leaving law enforcement to utilize local businesses, schools and vacant facilities as temporary training sites.

“Investing in public safety continues to be a top priority,” said Klobuchar, in a news release. “We secured this federal grant so the city of Lakeville can begin to build a training facility to ensure their safety personnel have the highest degree of training possible.”

If funding is granted, current plans call for construction of the facility to begin in 2025, Miller said.