A new facility where Livingston’s Police Department can conduct training will be completed soon.
Livingston Police Chief Ray Smith said crews are putting the finishing touches on a new 60×80 foot facility. Smith said much of the work has been done by students at TCAT Livingston. Smith said it was school president Cliff Wightman who came up with the idea to make it a school project.
“His idea to put them to work was one of the greatest feats that we were looking for is having labor to be able to put together,” Smith said. “Because, you know, labor is probably one of the biggest costs. And out of the graciousness of his heart, he got with the instructors of the college and they agreed on it and immediately started to work.”
Smith said that work began about a year ago after the former training center, two double wide manufactured homes, were nearly destroyed by wind.
“They were just damaged just way too much,” Smith said. “It was too risky, the structure wouldn’t be sound so, we took what we’ve got in our insurance and applied it to this building here. And with the skilled labor we had here in our local college, we were able to construct a 60 by 80 building.”
Smith said it has been his dream and as well as that of previous police chiefs to have a new building in which officers can train. Smith said it means even more to him knowing that the TCAT students were a part of it all.
“It means everything in the world,” Smith said. “We always want to join up with our community at our police department. We want to be a part of theirs and them part of ours. It is a great honor and privilege to have these young men and woman that help out to bring back a dram that’s been going on for several years from chiefs past.”
Smith said the city will have a grand opening by the end of summer.
