The American Legion of Mountain Top, Post 781, has donated land to be used for a police shooting range, allowing police officers from Wright, Fairview and Rice townships to receive required firearms training without travel expenses.

Wright Township Police Chief Joseph M. Jacob said the 22 police officers from the three police departments previously had to travel 45 minutes to an hour to get to a suitable shooting range in the Poconos. Now, officers can obtain their annual certification in firearms training, plus practice tactical situations close to home.

“This range offers us the opportunity to do all of that training, plus work on live fire scenarios,” Jacob said.
Jacob said police officers must be certified in firing their department issued handgun, their department issued shotgun, and department issued patrol rifle, as well as any weapons they carry while off duty.

The range is approximately 30 yards long with paved aggregate and an earthen bank as a back stop. There are paved blacktop platforms at three, five, 10, 15 and 25 yards to allow the police officers to practice shooting from varied distances. The blacktop areas allow the shooting range to be used in inclement weather and yearround, Jacob said.

The best news is that the new shooting range did not cost taxpayers any money. The land was donated by the American Legion, excavation was donated by DW Construction of Mountain Top and the surveying and paving was donated by Slusser Brothers of Dorrance Township.
“It’s great to have good corporate neighbors,” Fairview Township Police Chief Joseph Intelicato said. “We can’t thank the people involved enough. We never could have been able to do it without them.”

Al Finn, Conservation Officer with the American Legion Post 781, said his organization was glad to team with DW Construction and Slusser Brothers to create the shooting range for the police departments.

“Now, they don’t have drive great distances to get their certification two times per year,” Finn said. “This is saving the taxpayers money in gas, and it improves our protection.”

Patrick Bartorillo, General Manager at Slusser Brothers’ nearby Small Mountain Quarry, said the company is pleased to contribute to the quality of life in the community. He noted that the quarry has a Citizens Advisory Committee, which recommends worthy community projects to the company.

Police Chief Jacob estimated that it would have cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars for a new shooting range, if the police departments had to buy land and pay for surveying, excavation and paving.