Citing the state of the town’s current facility and the cost-effectiveness of sharing another town’s modern gun range, East Haven’s Police Department will begin to use the Milford Police Department training range to train officers in pistol training.

The Town Council recently, after hearing a presentation from Deputy Chief Ed Lennon, unanimously voted to authorize the East Haven police spending $10,000 initially and slightly more than $2,000 annually, to use the Milford facility for training.

The Milford facility, known as the Virta Tactical Simulator System (VTSS), is located in the Milford Police Training Facility Department, which Milford occasionally makes available for use by other law enforcement agencies.

Lennon told the council that the firearms training is necessary both for East Haven to comply with Department of Justice requirements the town is under orders to comply with, as well as general mandated training all officers must undertake.

Council members asked Lennon about the state of the East Haven Police Department range. Lennon said the cost of bringing the range up to specifications has become prohibitive, which is why the Milford department is an attractive alternative.

Lennon also told the council the Police Department can fund the range cost of going to Milford from within the department’s own budget.

One of the big advantages of the Milford facility, Lennon told council members, was that it was open 24/7 on a first come, first served basis.

The Milford facility also is equipped with modern training equipment, the deputy chief continued, with action simulators re-enacting possible shooting scenarios.