GPD firing range to get $96,000 overhaul

The Grafton Village Board last week approved a $96,295 contract with Action Target to renovate the firing range at the Grafton Police Department.

The bid is more than the budget of $91,000, but the Village Board also accepted a total of $5,300 in donations on May 19 that will make up the bulk of the difference.

The department’s indoor range has reached a “critical point,” Police Chief Jeff Caponera said in a memo to the Public Safety Committee, which recommended approval of the contract.

The range lacks proper sound insulation, exposing users to dangerous noise levels, he said, and the ceiling panels are deteriorating and at risk of falling, creating “immediate physical hazards and contributing to poor acoustics.”

The lighting system is outdated, he said, and the poor visibility creates “unsafe shooting conditions and hampers effective training,” while the four existing firing lane structures and target returns are no longer functional.

Trustee Lisa Uribe Harbeck noted that Action Target’s bid is for two firing lanes and asked if that would be adequate for the department.

“We’re still going to be able to use it for what we need to,” Caponera said, adding the department is currently only using two lanes.

Caponera noted that the range is a vital training resource of not only Grafton officers but also neighboring law enforcement agencies, federal law enforcement personnel in the region and the Grafton Youth Hunting Association’s safety education programs.

Caponera told the Village Board other communities will be able to use the range at no cost.

“We want to keep this range available for everybody,” he said, noting that his department uses the Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office’s outdoor range and the Cedarburg Police Department’s MILO firearms training simulator program.

The police department has been seeking to renovate the range for years.

The renovations were budgeted for last year, but the renovations could not be completed then so the project was moved to this year.

Caponera noted that the bulk of the cost of the project will be covered by American Rescue Plan Act funds, and thus the renovations must be completed by the end of 2025.

In addition, the Grafton Youth Hunting Association donated $25,000 toward the renovations.