Police Union Refuses to Vacate Firing Range

The city’s Police Officers’ Assn. is refusing to vacate a recently closed shooting range, prompting the city to take legal action to evict the union.

“We terminated the lease. We gave them notice to vacate. They refused,” Councilman Tom Harman said. “Like any other landlord, we’re just going to have to file a routine, garden-variety eviction notice.”

Police union President Richard Wright declined to comment, referring questions to attorney Gregory Petersen, who represents the police association. Petersen could not be reached.

The City Council closed the shooting range Jan. 4 after refusing to renew the $1-a-year lease held by the union since 1972. A city-commissioned study determined that it would cost $2.5 million to prepare the unstable and contaminated land for construction of a new shooting range. The Central Park range was built on the site of a former landfill.

City officials say the police union alleges that the city’s termination notice is not legally valid. The 28-year-old facility was used to train officers from about 70 police agencies and also served as the union’s headquarters.

The city and the police union failed to reach agreement earlier this month on a month-to-month lease arrangement.

The council is considering rebuilding the range at its current location or building an indoor facility at another site.