The Ocean County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday night voted to approve the purchase of a firearms practice range facility in Little Egg Township for $10.5 million.
Currently, police departments across Ocean County take firearms trainings at their own ranges and/or private ranges. The purchase of the firearms training facility is intended to provide law enforcement with a central place where they can train with their weapons.
To raise the funds necessary for the purchase of the range, the Commissioners authorized the issuance of $9.9 million in bonds.
Some are questioning whether the purchase of the facility is really the best use of such a massive amount of funds – $10.5 million, as noted earlier. Critics say our local law enforcement officers do not need a new training facility, and the funds could have done far more to improve the county, such as by improving roadways in Lakewood and other municipalities which are sorely in need of attention.