Allen Police will soon have a new destination for weapons training.
At the Jan. 10 meeting, Allen City Council approved a partnership to build a firearms training range at Collin College’s new Police and Fire Training Center in McKinney. The range will include a dozen 50-yard lanes, equipped with both freestanding and moving targets, along with two offices and an armory.
The City of Allen will pay $4.6 million to construct the range, which will be maintained and insured by Collin College. Allen Police will receive priority access to the facility for 1,200 hours per year, or an average of 100 per month, in addition to 1,200 hours during off-peak hours. The agreement allows Allen Police to use the facility for 50 years following construction, with an option to renew for five-year terms.
Allen voters had already approved funding for a dedicated firearms training center for Allen Police. The $7.9 million expense was part of a $93 million bond package approved by voters in May 2016. By partnering with Collin College, Allen reaps the benefits of a new training center at a fraction of the anticipated cost. The move will save taxpayers $3.3 million.
Construction is expected to take 2.5 years. A groundbreaking date has not been set.