VHPD May Open Rifle, Pistol Ranges Near Red Mountain Park

VESTAVIA HILLS, AL - The Vestavia Police Department is looking to open rifle and pistol ranges on a tract of land owned by Red Mountain Park. The Vestavia Hills City Council approved a request by VHPD Chief Dan Rary to explore the possibility of developing the ranges currently home to crude rifle and handgun ranges that are used by Red Mountain law enforcement officers.

A Vestavia Voice report said Rary was approached a couple of months ago by the Red Mountain Commission, which asked if Vestavia Hills police would be interested in developing a shared-use firearms training facility.

The range would only be open to Vestavia Hills police and Red Mountain Park law enforcement officers.

Vestavia Hills police officers have used the gun range at Brock's Gap Training Center in Hoover for the past five years. Rary said his department entered into an agreement with Brock's Gap that allows Vestavia Hills police to access the facility five weeks every year.

Rary said he would he like to improve the existing rifle range, build a handgun range and develop decision-based firearms courses where police officers would have to react to certain stimuli before choosing to pull the trigger on their weapon.

Rary said it’s also important to note that the site of the proposed range is owned by Red Mountain Park but is not a part of the park itself.