By Jason Lefevre, FLETC Office of Public Affairs
GLYNCO, GA - Enforcement Operations Division (EOD) took advantage of the training pause and led a team-focused cleanup of Danis City over the last two weeks to get it fully ready and functional in preparation of resumption of training.
According to Division Chief Martin Roddini, EOD, more than 170,000 square feet of the training venue underwent cleanup. “Beds were taken apart and riveted back together, furniture repaired to like-new condition, and the team even put a pool table back into playing condition,” said Roddini. “The hotel rooms are back in order and the courtroom looks and feels like a courtroom should.”
While the pause in training allowed for the perfect opportunity to accomplish the facelift, the process started much earlier.
“Prior to the shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I had spoken to Mr. Stan Moran [training venue program manager who oversees Danis City] regarding the training venues in need of simple repairs,” said Jim Wilder, instructor, Basic Response Branch. “Timing is everything, and at that time the Enforcement Operations Division/Basic Response Branch (BRB) was working at full capacity and taking training venues off-line was just not practical at that time.”
“Fast forward to the current shutdown,” added Wilder. “We needed management approval, so I proposed the idea to Branch Chief Bryant [William Bryant] and Division Chief Roddini. I made the proposal and it was met with overwhelming support from Chief Roddini, Mr. Moran, and BC Bryant. So the EOD cleanup crew got the green light and was off and running in mid-April.”
EOD initiated the cleanup and got the ball rolling, but accomplishing the mission was a FLETC team effort.
“This project was started by several EOD instructors, and Instructor Jim Wilder of the Basic Response Branch showed tremendous initiative and led the project on the ground,” said Bryant. “The instructors coordinated with EOD management, and began work after consulting with the Facilities Management Division (FMD) and Danis City Program Manager Stan Moran to ensure open communication and to avoid interfering with other projects.”
“FMD has done a lot of good work in Danis City during this time period,” echoed Moran. “They have completed a number of repairs, along with painting the interior of training venues. The Media Support Branch has updated graphics, and the cleaning staff worked behind the scenes after the work was completed.”
This maintenance will allow for a safe and positive impact to students upon resumption of training.
“This project has restored our facilities to a professional, realistic training environment that is extremely beneficial to our students,” Bryant said.
“Training should be safe and realistic,” added Wilder. “With the venues in like-new condition, it will provide a safe and realistic environment in which to train, which just might make the difference between an officer making a fatal mistake in the field that costs them their life or the life of another officer.”
Danis City provides very realistic training. A mock replication of an urban area, Danis City provides a reality-based training environment that includes residential homes, an apartment building, pawnshop, coffee shop, retail shopping center, police station, federal facility, and a use of force complex. Named in honor of Navy Cmdr. Anthony L. Danis, the complex was built in 2013 and covers 25.5 acres.
“I came through the FLETC the first time in 1985,” said Wilder. “There were no training venues like Danis City. Today, with venues like Danis City or the CBP [Customs and Border Protection] Port of Entry, there is no make-believe. The training is as real as it can get. Danis City and all the training venues are extremely important.”
FLETC Enforcement Operations Division instructors encountered many rooms like this in need of cleaning and repair in Danis City. (Courtesy photo)
FLETC Enforcement Operations Division instructors cleaned and repaired more than 170,000 square feet of the Danis City training venue. (Courtesy photo)
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