Regional law enforcement training center requires facelift
VIRGINIA BEACH, (WAVY) — The Creeds Law Enforcement Training Facility in Virginia Beach will receive new federal funding to allow for more upgrades to the regional training center.
The funding comes after it received an $8 million grant last September to improve the training facility.
Previously: VBPD gets $8M grant to improve training facility
The facility, which was a former World War II airfield, is operated by the Virginia Beach Police Department and serves as a regional training center for incidents such as the 2019 mass shooting at the Virginia Municipal Center, vehicle pursuits, or any tactical situation. Simulation City, or SIM City, is also used by all five branches of the military.
Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate said the facility is an invaluable asset for the entire region.
“There is no better bargain,” Neudigate said. “When we look at what the community expects from their law enforcement, the increased demands for training, we can never get enough training. We need to make sure that our folks are the best trained out there so that we’re providing the best service to the citizens of Virginia Beach.”
Since the facility opened in the 2000s, some $15 million have been spent on the 270-acre site. Police officers even built some of the facilities. Simulation City includes buildings that resemble commercial space, a structure that resembles a multi-family unit, and a corrugated metal unit that resembles a convenience store.
Several containers that are used to transport goods from overseas dot the landscape while a rappel tower overlooks the premises.
A site once used as a local racetrack is now used for defensive driving lessons.
While it could use a facelift, this is where police officers from across the region and members of the military are trained on how to expect the unexpected.
On the kickoff of National Police Week, Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot, was pleased to turn over $693,000 in federal funding.
“We have special forces that do a lot of work here,” Kiggans said. “Other DOD departments, and other service branches that come here and help to train their folks. So we know that the world is a dangerous place right now, right? Not only locally in our communities. We worry about community safety, but just on the world stage. So whatever we can do on the federal level to allocate this is taxpayer money that’s now going to go to this facility for some really important upgrades and just to recruit and retain our great law enforcement and our military.”
The funds turned over Monday will be used to improve a rappel tower and the defensive driving track. Neudigate said the improvements will help attract more police recruits.
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