In a contentious 3-2 vote late Monday night, Durham County commissioners approved an $18 million law enforcement training facility, paving the way for significant upgrades to the Durham County Sheriff’s Office’s current training grounds. The decision, which has sparked both support and opposition, highlights ongoing tensions over policing, public safety, and the allocation of county resources.
The new facility will feature an updated outdoor gun range and a 10,000-square-foot building equipped with classrooms, bathrooms, showers, and lockers. The current site, located on Electra Road, has been in use since the mid-1980s for firearm qualifications, bomb-squad detonations, and court-ordered auctions.
Support for the Training Center
Supporters of the project, including Sheriff Clarence Birkhead and some commissioners, argue that the facility is essential for modernizing law enforcement training and addressing rising gun violence in the community. Stephen Valentine, one of three newly elected commissioners who voted in favor of the project, emphasized the dual realities facing Black and brown communities.
“As a Black man, I am sensitive to the history of law enforcement in this country,” Valentine said. “But I am also sensitive to the Black and brown children in our community who are losing their lives every day to gun violence.”
Commissioner Michelle Burton echoed similar concerns, citing feedback from older African American residents in Durham who prioritize addressing community violence over potential harm from law enforcement. Vice Chair Mike Lee also voiced his pragmatic stance.
“The sheriff is an elected official,” Lee said. “Our job here is to provide the resources he explains he needs to do the job he was elected to do.”
Opposition and Calls for Accountability
Not all commissioners were on board. Chair Nida Allam and Commissioner Wendy Jacobs, both of whom voted against the project, expressed concerns about accountability and transparency within the Sheriff’s Office. Allam criticized the lack of engagement and responsiveness from Sheriff Birkhead, particularly regarding alternative approaches like the HEART program, which provides unarmed crisis intervention.
“I can’t in good conscience vote in favor of this funding when the community has repeatedly been asking for accountability and transparency into the Sheriff’s Office,” Allam said.
Jacobs highlighted long-standing issues with resource allocation and communication. She argued that the Sheriff’s Office has been “historically well-funded” but has not delivered on promises, such as supporting the expansion of HEART.
Protesters and Community Perspectives
The decision came after months of public debate, including protests organized by activists who compared the facility to Atlanta’s controversial “Cop City” project. Opponents argued that resources should be directed toward preventive measures like expanding the HEART program, which deploys unarmed professionals to handle behavioral and mental health crises.
“In a time when communities are demanding alternatives to traditional policing, investing in more training for law enforcement is a step in the wrong direction,” said Meg Hopkins of the ACLU of North Carolina.
Supporters of the Sheriff’s Office countered that the facility is a necessary investment for public safety. Floyd McKissick Jr., chair of the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, said, “It’s a false narrative to say we can’t have all these things. This training facility is absolutely necessary.”
The Future of HEART and 911 Consolidation
The HEART program, currently city-run, has been lauded for its success in addressing crises without law enforcement intervention. Many advocates, including protesters and commissioners, called for its expansion countywide. However, logistical challenges remain, including the need to consolidate the city’s and county’s 911 dispatch systems.
Jacobs criticized the continued operation of a separate 911 center for the Sheriff’s Office, arguing that all calls should be dispatched through the $71 million 911 center built in 2018 at the Durham Police Department headquarters. “It does not make sense to me that after seven years, we continue to fund a separate 911 center,” she said.
What’s Next?
Sheriff Birkhead, who did not speak at the meeting, has faced criticism for his office’s lack of engagement on issues such as HEART expansion and resource allocation. Despite the approval of the training facility, questions remain about how Durham County will balance its investment in law enforcement with community-driven safety initiatives.
As Durham grapples with these critical issues, The Bull City Citizen will continue to provide in-depth coverage of the debate over public safety and the future of law enforcement in our community. Follow us for updates as we track the implementation of the training facility and efforts to expand alternative safety programs like HEART.
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