Police officers from across the region will be able to travel to Whidbey Island during damp, dark winters to practice their gun skills safely indoors.

Oak Harbor Police Chief Tony Slowik explained in a recent interview that the 13,000-square-foot building recently purchased by the city is destined to become a regional law enforcement training center. While a third of the facility is a gun range, the rest can house many other activities. There will be a large open space for various training scenarios, a classroom, offices, a virtual reality space, an armory for firearms maintenance, a vault for gun storage and even locker rooms.

What’s more, the $2.75 million deal includes an adjacent vacant lot that Slowik envisions could someday be the site of a new police department to replace the aging and out-of-date headquarters on Southeast Barrington Drive.

“We’re extremely fortunate this became available,” Slowik said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Last week, the Oak Harbor City Council approved the purchase of the building and vacant land off Goldie Road. No council members raised concerns.

“Let’s get this done,” Councilmember James Marrow said enthusiastically.

The building used to house the Skagit Valley College marine tech program. It was remodeled in 2017 to become a state-of-the-art indoor gun range business. The business went through two different names and ownerships, most recently Anchor Point, before finally closing down a year and a half ago, the chief explained.

Slowik emphasized that the city got a very good deal on the property, which was originally on the market for $3.2 million. He said the city of Lacey recently built a similar building at a cost of $10 million.

The city is using a variety of funding sources to purchase the property. They include a $250,000 grant from the state, $400,000 in opioid settlements, a $50,000 accreditation reimbursement, $300,000 of police staffing savings and general fund dollars.

Slowik said the new property helps solve a couple of challenges facing his department and regional law enforcement.

First of all, the building would provide more space, particularly training areas, for his officers. The current police department is a patchwork of old and newer rooms; part of the building dates back to the 1950s and houses the minimally used jail that still has old-fashioned iron bars, as well as the ICOM dispatch center. An adjacent structure, which is the former fire department building, has a training room space that’s hardly adequate.

In addition, Slowik envisions the building as a regional training center where officers can come for firearms practice as well as training in a variety of tactics, such as defensive skills, de-escalation and use of less-than-lethal weapons. He said a large open space will be lined with with defensive tactics mats. There’s another room large enough for inflatable walls that can be used to create different scenarios for SWAT training. A room can also house the department’s virtual reality training equipment.

Prior to the purchase, the chief spoke to law enforcement officials in Island, Skagit and Whatcom counties who were interested in the idea. He said the Navy and State Parks may also participate. He said he will work on gathering interlocal agreements with these other jurisdictions, including a regional drug task force.

In addition, the chief explained that firefighters and other first responders can also use the space for training, including joint sessions with law enforcement.

In the past, Oak Harbor officers would go to the North Whidbey Sportmen’s Association outdoor shooting range to do firearms qualifications. Slowik said the indoor range is a safer, more secure and convenient space that isn’t weather dependent. Because of rules in the area regarding Navy aircraft, the building is very well insulated from noise and other activities can go on at the same time as shooting practice. One of the walls is even made from perforated steel for a ventilation system that keeps the range a safe place to breathe.

As for the vacant land, Slowik said it’s a perfect property for a future police department building. The land is perfectly situated, he said, adjacent to the city-owned public works property, as well as the regional training center.