New Training Facility For Metro Law Officers Opens In Norman

Up-and-coming metro law officers have a new, state-of-the art place to train. The massive indoor-outdoor public safety training facility is part of the Moore-Norman Technology Center campus in Norman.

The technology center offers basic peace officer training for Moore, Norman, Midwest City, and Cleveland County recruits and that list is growing. The new training facility will hold its first academy in two weeks.

“We’re one of the few that has this type of opportunity for law enforcement agencies to come and use,” said Lt. Gary Shelton, Moore-Norman Technology Center.

Lieutenant Gary Shelton retired his badge for the classroom.

“We’ll have that classroom portion in here,” said Shelton. “We anticipate using this room quite a bit.”

Shelton is Moore-Norman Technology Center's instructor for the newly constructed public safety training facility. He proudly showed off the state-of-the-art, CLEET approved firing range where cadets will learn hands-on-skills.

“It is a full 50-yard tactical shooting side,” said Shelton.

Security officer Shon Elroy can control the moving targets with an iPad.

“The targets will move back and forth to the person who is on the line,” said Shelton.

Elroy will also teach new officers gun safety and giving refresher courses for experienced officers. A smaller six-lane range even allows for simulated night-time shooting.

However, training does not end at the range. There is 90-thousand square feet of asphalt to learn driving skills.

“The white markings these will signify different courses,” said Shelton. “There are six of them here.”

Shelton said the outdoor and some of the indoor facilities are already in use by other agencies.

“This allows them the opportunity now to come out as much as they would like,” said Shelton.

Prior to the new facility many of the metro agencies had to travel to the CLEET headquarters in Ada for training.