Riley County Commissioner John Ford cuts the ribbon at the open house for the new county firearms range, June 30, 2021 (Photo by Troy Coverdale/KMAN News)
Riley County Law Board chair Linda Morse addresses those gathered for RCPD Firearms Range open house, June 30, 2021 (Photo by Troy Coverdale/KMAN News)
Riley County Commissioner John Ford addresses attendees at the new county firearms range open house, June 30, 2021. (Photo by Troy Coverdale/KMAN News)
RCPD Dir. Dennis Butler speaks before the ribbon cutting at the department’s new firearms range, June 30, 2021 (Photo by Troy Coverdale/KMAN News)
After years of haggling over sites, needs and how best to set up for training purposes, the Riley County Police Firearms Range is officially open. Riley County Commissioner John Ford, other commissioners and the county’s Law Board and RCPD Director Dennis Butler participated in a ribbon cutting ahead of an open house Wednesday morning.
Butler says that being sharp when put into a situations where a service weapon might be fired means more than just practice on the range.
The range includes two firearms training zones plus a building anchored by a classroom for training sessions.
Butler says Riley County taxpayers can be happy with what was spent on building the facility.
Riley County has spent nearly $2.3 million on everything involved in creating the range, which sits near the intersection of Zeandale and Tabor Valley Road.
Currently the host of "KMAN's Morning News", Troy is a 30 year veteran of radio, nearly 20 in northern Colorado, where he served as the "Voice of the UNC Bears" while serving as the news and sports director for one of the oldest AM stations in the country.
No stranger to Manhattan nor Kansas, Troy is an alum of K-State in broadcast journalism and grew up near Circleville. He began his broadcast career with KSDB-FM on campus while working part time at another radio station in town.
He's married to the former Monica Haugsness of Seneca, who has patiently put up with his schedule for more than 25 years.
