CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Corpus Christi Police Cadets now have a new training facility to call home. The newest state-of-the-art academy was unveiled on Thursday during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The training academy at 6902 Yorktown Blvd. will replace the one on Corona Drive, which the department has used for more than 40 years.
Designed by local architect Turner Ramirez, the 34,000 square-foot training space has several new classrooms, a defensive tactics room, a weight training room, an outdoor track, new locker rooms with showers, and crime scene incident simulation rooms.
“We’re so happy that today we give them a home to be proud of, the resources to be excellent police officers throughout the city, and many more, hundreds to come," Mayor Paulette Guajardo said.
City Manager Peter Zanoni spoke during the ribbon-cutting, praising the city for its investment in the future of the police department. He mentioned that the $21 million academy will also save taxpayers up to $2 million, as the city partnered with Del Mar College to use the neighboring property space.
Some of the cadets said the new facility is a big upgrade from what they had before.
“We were using portable potties outside, so that was the main way to use the bathroom there," police cadet Devin Gresenz said. "There’s so many different things that we’ll be able to utilize, for not only our class but future cadet classes, knowing that they get to come in here and use the state of the art facilities, I think it’s going to be awesome.”
Other cadets expressed their gratitude that a facility of this nature will give them the tools to be successful.
“It’s just such a humbling experience and to come into this new, amazing, beautiful facility, is just so wowing. To have people that want to invest money into their city policing, we're the ones who keeps everyone safe and it means a lot," police cadet, Melinda Chapa, said.
The current 84th Police Academy was the last group to use the Corona Drive facility and is the first to use the new one. They will officially be sworn in as Corpus Christi Police Officers in February.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
