Construction of new training facility nears completion
October 25, 2024
Despite the active hurricane season, construction is nearing completion on a state-of-the-art training center for the Bradenton Police Department and Manatee Technical College Law Enforcement Academy. Located on 70 acres in eastern Manatee County, the center features a 25-yard pistol firing range, a 100-yard rifle range, a 300x600-foot driving pad, and a building with classrooms, offices, and equipment storage.
Thanks to seamless collaboration between BPD, MTC, and the School District of Manatee County, the new facility ensures BPD can expand and upscale officer training programs to meet the needs of our growing department. MTC will also benefit from new tools to best prepare law enforcement academy students for future careers. The center is poised to become a premiere regional training facility, serving law enforcement agencies with top-tier resources and programs.
The training center, made possible through a partnership between the City of Bradenton and the school district, is expected to open in early 2025.
Fast Facts:
Approved: July 28, 2021 (Preconstruction)
Groundbreaking: May 2023
Scheduled Opening: Spring 2025
Site: 70 acres, west of Taylor Road
Architect: Fawley Bryant Architecture
Construction Manager: A.D. Morgan