PORT ST. LUCIE – After four years of construction, the ribbon was cut on July 24 for a 54,283-square-foot, state-of-the-art, $28.8 million police training center on the Port St. Lucie City Hall grounds, just northwest of the police department.

“This project is all about making sure our officers have the space, training, and resources they need to continue serving our community at the highest level,” Port St. Lucie Mayor Shannon Martin said in a Facebook posting. “Keeping Port St. Lucie the safest large city in Florida takes more than dedication. It requires planning ahead and making smart investments that prepare our officers for the challenges they face every day.”

Included in the three-story facility are:

• A 20-lane, 9,508-square-foot indoor firearms range featuring an integrated MILO live-fire scenario

system.

• A 2,848-square-foot tactical shoot house with configurable rooms for realistic scenario-based

training.

• A MILO Virtual Simulation Theater for immersive decision-making and de-escalation exercises.

• A dedicated defensive tactics training room equipped with Axon VR technology.

• A multi-purpose training room designed for classroom instruction, conferences, virtual presentations, and large-scale training.

• Three floors of office space supporting the Training Division and Criminal Investigations Division

(CID), including 19 offices and 86 workstations.

• Advanced audio/visual technology throughout the facility to support collaborative training and instruction.

The facility was designed by ADG Architecture and constructed by HJ High, with specialized contributions from industry leaders including Action Target, MILO, Whelen, and numerous additional project partners, according to Port St. Lucie Police officials.

As of July 27, the city has a population of more than 260,000. There is a total of 455 employees in the police department with 360 sworn officers, according to city hall records.

For years, officers traveled to Indian River State College in Fort Pierce for extensive training, according to Officer Brittany McNally.

“By bringing much of that training in-house, this facility will reduce those recurring costs while allowing us to train more efficiently and effectively,” she said in a statement. “Equally important, the new training facility provides our officers with access to state-of-the-art technology and realistic, scenario-based training that better prepares them for the complex situations they may face in the field. From recruit training to advanced tactical instruction and continuing education, our officers will now have the resources needed to sharpen their skills throughout their careers right in our own backyard.”

Once the ribbon was cut, police personnel immediately began making the move into the new facility. Because of safety and confidentiality concerns, the facility is not open to the general public.