An 8,900-square-foot firing range facility will be one of the new features at the proposed emergency response centre complex in Bodden Town.
Public Works planning documents obtained by the Caymanian Compass said the range will be built to elevate the level of training for uniform departments in the Cayman Islands.
Police firearms training is currently done at the open-air shooting range just northeast of Owen Roberts Airport.
The planning documents stated that range has ‘antiquated target apparatus’ and that the facility could potentially be ‘unsafe at times.’
‘The site is uncontained and has no way of preventing stray shots from going beyond the boundaries of the site,’ staff wrote in the project definition document.
According to those documents, the new enclosed facility at the Bodden Town complex will have six shooting lanes, a buffer area around the building of at least 50 feet for safety reasons, and an air lock system on the doors to prevent unwanted noise.
Further noise reduction devices, such as sound absorption planks, are also being required for the project.
Cayman Islands government officials have indicated the firing range near the airport will be closed, once an alternative site can be found.
‘Clearly, it’s not appropriate to have a gun club range in proximity to the airport,’ said Charles Clifford, the Minister responsible for Aviation. ‘A decision has been taken to relocate it.’
Mr. Clifford stressed his comments were not meant to disparage the Cayman Islands Gun Club, which he said was a responsible organisation.
‘There will be an outdoor range as well, not necessarily at the (Bodden Town emergency centre) location, but at another location on island,’ Mr. Clifford said.
The firing range at the Bodden Town emergency response centre is just a part of what will be included in Royal Cayman Islands Police Service facilities there.
In January, Deputy Police Commissioner Rudolph Dixon said a new police station would be built there to replace the Bodden Town RCIPS station.
Planning documents show several police services including; training facilities, the traffic enforcement office, the police-joint intelligence unit, and a holding cell for prisoners will be housed on the new site.
It’s envisioned the prison would have space for 24 cells, a day room and a booking area. The majority of prisoners held there would be males, but a few cells would be reserved for female prisoners as well.
The prison building would have to be surrounded by 12 foot high fencing and an electronically-accessed entrance gate.
Aside from the police facilities, a fire station and an emergency response facility for ambulances are also planned for the complex.
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