MERIDIAN, Idaho — After nearly a decade of training in a smaller Meridian facility, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office is preparing to expand its operations into a new 38,000-square-foot building near Franklin Road and Touchmark Way.
Sheriff Matt Clifford says the move is necessary to keep pace with the county’s growth and ensure deputies are well-prepared when responding to emergencies.
Watch to learn more about the upcoming project —
“Having the extra space, doing more, better quality training, with better space, it equals better service for the public,” said Sheriff Matt Clifford.
As Ada County’s population grows, so has the number of sheriff’s deputies, requiring more academy and ongoing training sessions. The new space, Clifford says, will include amenities they’ve never had before.
“More bathrooms, some locker rooms, a lot of space for us to make a training village, more room for our physical fitness facilities, all the things that come with a training center,” said Clifford.
Besides a much needed scenario village, the sheriff’s office also plans to include larger classrooms to accommodate growing class sizes.
“The classroom in our old building was very small, and it was packed tight. You’d literally have deputies standing outside the room looking in through the doorway trying to listen,” said Clifford.
Until the city grants approval for the agency to occupy the new site, deputies will continue training at interagency facilities.
Clifford expects this facility to meet their needs for the next five to ten years but hopes a long-term regional training center could eventually serve agencies across the Treasure Valley.
Residents can share feedback on the project during a Meridian Planning and Zoning public hearing Thursday night. If plans move forward, the sheriff’s office hopes to begin training at the new facility by spring.
