Monroe County Sheriff’s Office opens training complex

Three phase complex will provide ongoing training for local, regional and statewide officers

MONROE COUNTY, MISS. (WCBI) -The new training complex sits across the street from the sheriff’s office.

“It is nice, we are blessed to have it,” said Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook.

The first phase features a new building with classroom space,  workout area,  an upstairs area where self defense tactics will be taught,    male and female dorm rooms and office space.  It was all done at no cost to taxpayers.

“We used one year revenue from the Monroe County Detention Center, stretched it over these three or four years and got this place finished,” Sheriff Crook said.

A second phase includes an outdoor firing range and a new building known as the “Shoot House”   It features movable walls for tactical training, such as how to properly enter a building, and search and clear multiple rooms.

The shoot house is unique for the region and will host officers from the area and across the state. The complex also allows all training to take place in one location.

“All of us have that same heart to make sure there aren’t any smaller departments out here that cant have accessible good training, high level training, for their men and women that will remain the DNA here and streamline everything we are already doing,” Sheriff Crook said.

“Whether you are a sheriff, deputy, policeman, marshal service,  you have to train.  If you don’t it is costly to people you are going after and also to yourself and partners.  And one thing about training we try and emphasize here, is it is selfless, it is about the guy next to you, it is not about you,” said Chief Deputy Billy Richey.

A third phase of the training complex,  a mock city .  There are already several mobile homes on the property.  During training, cadets and officers will be able to answer service calls based on real life scenarios,  all under the watchful eyes of instructors.

The sheriff’s office has already hosted a SWAT school and in January, a new part time academy will use the training complex.  Reporter Allie Martin has been through that training and is a deputy with Monroe County.