Criminal Justice Training Academy relocates to Dublin

By TRAVIS HANDY
Special to The SWT

The New River Valley Criminal Justice Training Academy will hold an open house Thursday, June 14, at 2 p.m., to show off its new location in the Dublin Town Center.

The academy has been relocated to Dublin from its last location in the former Fairlawn Elementary School building after the Draper facility was damaged by tornadoes in April 2011.

Plans for the new facility began in 2004, and the project broke ground in August 2011. The facility occupies 11,500 square feet and will provide a training ground for officers from Giles, Pulaski, Carroll, Floyd, Bland and Montgomery counties, as well as parts of Grayson and Wythe counties. Between 750-1,000 students pass through the academy annually, according to Executive Director Martin Alford.

The training center started in 1975 on the campus of New River Community College. Since the beginning, the academy has moved six times, finally ending up at its new home in Dublin.

The facility will be open to visitors Thursday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m. The open house event will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours and light refreshments. Local officials and guests will be in attendance. Department of Criminal Justice Service Director Garth Wheeler will be a guest speaker.