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14:.0 8 <br />APPLICATION FOR PURCHASE OF REAL PROPERTY AT <br />CENTENNIAL PARK <br />AT PUBLIC BENEFIT ALLOWANCE -- <br />- Page .2 <br />4. Proposed Program for Facilities Requested <br />A. The City of Santa Ana proposes to use the 4.0 acres of <br />unimproved land in Centennial Park for a police /fire <br />training facility, This proposal is the culmination of <br />a four -year search for an appropriate site for the <br />police /fire training facility. The proposal provides <br />for the much needed training facility while maintaining <br />the recreational opportunities for the public. <br />The police /Eire training facility would serve a maximum <br />of 60 police personnel in training, 40 Eire academy <br />students in training and various other support staff. <br />The facility would consist of four classrooms, a physical <br />fitness training center, a pistol range, administrative <br />offices, a video studio, and a library. The Eire and <br />police departments in Santa Ana are among the largest in <br />Orange County. As the seat of county government and the <br />second largest city in Orange County, Santa Ana has an <br />extraordinary need for a large, well trained public <br />safety Eorce. This need can only be met by consistent <br />and routine training of fire and police personnel. <br />Currently the fire suppression personnel training is <br />conducted at one of the only two facilities in the <br />county. The facilities are used jointly by 17 fire <br />departments and Rancho Santiago College, totalling over <br />200 fire units. The training program at each facility <br />is determined by the partners operating that facility. <br />The philosophy of training at each facility is different <br />and neither address the unique needs of Santa Ana since <br />the City is not a partner. <br />The police department currently has fragmented in- service <br />training facilities due to a lack of a permanent location <br />to conduct classes. Officers often travel as far as San <br />Jose or San Diego for training that could have been <br />accomplished locally if the facilities were available. <br />The need for a training facility in the City is particu- <br />larly acute because the police department has the largest <br />number of narcotics and other specialized units in the <br />county. The Santa Ana Police Department makes the most — <br />arrests, has the most officers in special units, and <br />contributes the most officers to outside training of any <br />police department in the county. A City police training <br />facility would provide a location for uniform special- <br />ized training. <br />