Plaistow police now armed with firing range site plan

PLAISTOW For more than a quarter century, the police department has been working on upgrades to its firing range and tactical training center on Wilder Drive near the towns highway garage.

It was just earlier this month, however, that the planning board approved a site plan for the project.

Police Chief Stephen Savage said the formal approved site plan will accomplish a number of things as work continues on the firing range, including making sure the police department continues to use best environmental practices at the shooting range.

Up until now, Savage said there had been no formal process for work on the firing range other than going before selectmen. Now, any future work will require the approval of the planning board or building inspector.

This is formalizing our relationship, the way it should be, Savage told the planning board.

The history of the firing range goes back to the 1980s, when selectmen approved use of part of the former town dump by the police department.

Over the following years, the department worked to clean up the site, and the past several years have seen a flurry of activity at the range as it has become a training site for outside agencies as well as the Plaistow Police Department.

It has been our dream to have a permanent place that is properly supported and appropriately built, said Savage.

Several years ago, the police department added a permanent structure at the range, and last year it added an overhang for the structure.

Savage said all the work has been paid for either through donations or from asset forfeiture money.

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Plaistow police now armed with firing range site plan