Local law enforcement agencies set to receive new de-escalation building

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma City Council approved the design for a new building to help train law enforcement de-escalate situations. 

The new de-escalation building will be located at the public training facility so all agencies have an opportunity to use it.

The facility is off of 36th Street and Avenue 4E. All law enforcement agencies will be able to use it.

The city will be applying for grants to cover the costs which could be up to $5,000,000.

The new addition will allow them to change the landscape inside the facility and even record the practices for film study.

"We're actually able to set up what it actually is in real life in real-time. That way they're able to get that file in the brain as far as what it looks like in reality to conduct this training and perform at a high level," said Officer Richard Averett from the Yuma Police Department Training Unit.

Yuma Chief Thomas Garrity explains how the city of Yuma will benefit from this new building.

"The professionalism that the officers have, again, the best practices of police to ensure the community is safe and that the officers are safe," said Garrity.

YPD also shares how this could also help with recruitment efforts. 

"When people want to become law enforcement, they have a sense of service, that sense of service is 'I want to protect my community. I want to be able to serve my community,' now that we're able to provide additional means of training on how to do that," said Officer Averett.