The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office plans to purchase the Crestview shooting range it has leased for 10 years.
At a special meeting Tuesday, County commissioners agreed to move forward with the deal, which will be finalized after the board holds a public hearing in October.
Undersheriff Don Adams said the Sheriff’s Office will use “federal seized drug money” to buy the land.
“I can’t think of a better use of bad money than to turn it into a good training facility for not only our deputies but also all of the law enforcement officers in the county,” Adams said.
The Sheriff’s Office has leased the shooting range from Wingard Family LLC since 2003. Under the plan, the agency will purchase the range and a few acres around it to serve as a buffer for a total of 8.9-acres for $89,810.
“The bigger footprint we can have, from a safety perspective, the better,” Adams said.
Commissioners said they support the purchase because it falls in line with their plan to eliminate most of the county’s leases.
“I think this is a good way to do it, and we’re not using ad valorem dollars,” Commission Chairman Don Amunds said. “ ... This is more than just a firing range. There will be other training opportunities that come out at this location.”
The shooting range, which is not open to the public, is located on Grimes Avenue on the west side of Crestview. The Sheriff’s Office allows other law enforcement agencies in the area to use it at no cost.
Commissioners on Tuesday also approved the renewal of the Sheriff’s Office’s lease with Wingard Family LLC until the purchase is finalized.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.