Guilford Rail Ties Up Crime
How necessity gives birth to invention.
Both the U.S. Marshall’s Office and the Concord, New Hampshire Police Department needed a better training facility. The problem was that the type of “shooting house” needed would more than likely be built out of 2 x 4s and plywood. These materials would shatter upon impact during a live-fire exercise and would pose serious safety concerns. In addition to safety, a major concern would be the cost of construction.
These problems were met with solutions when the Marshall’s Office discovered that U.S. Army Engineering units could be utilized as part of the war on drugs to upgrade and build training facilities for law enforcement officials. After some research the Marshals found out about Guilford Rail System’s rail tie donation program. At the time Guilford Rail was looking to remove approximately 3,000 ties along its New Hampshire line and was more than willing to help in the project.
According to U.S. Marshall Ray Gagnon, “Our estimate of the savings to the taxpayers to build this range was $250,000. Not to mention future travel costs to use other ranges.”
The rail ties were a key element for this range to come together. Unlike plywood or a 2 x 4, a rail tie can absorb a 9mm or 40 caliber shell. Guilford Rail’s Phil Corder worked with the Marshall’s Office in coordinating the rail tie pick up and delivery.
The New Hampshire Department of Corrections gladly provided their boot camp shock incarceration troops (inmates) to pick up the ties and load them onto a truck provided by a local Army National Guard unit. A U.S. Army Engineering Reserve unit based in New Hampshire outlined what would be needed for the project.
“This was an excellent example of public and private agencies working together,” said U.S. Marshall Ray Gagnon.
The available rail ties were used to build retaining walls and a roofless entry house with observation deck for training of counter-drug entry teams. “The Marshall service is responsible for fugitives,” said Gagnon. “This facility can let us drill on entering a house and making arrests with live ammunition.”
This one-of-a-kind facility in the northeast took two months to build and is used by federal agencies such as the U.S. Marshall’s Office, FBI, ATF, DEA and U.S. Border Patrol. Since its completion, the Tactical Range has been used as a nationwide model for developing cost-effective training complexes.
Gagnon noted that a locally based practice range can help communication throughout New England’s law enforcement community. “There can be a rivalry between units. Here we have people with various agencies from Portland to Providence training together. It helps once they start working together. They get to know each others’ procedures, traits and even names.” He stressed that this practice can only lead to smoother operations in the field.
“This is a great training in the war on drugs,” said Gagnon. “Having this type of training readily available could and probably has saved lives.”
As this DEA Trainee (who must be photographed from behind to conceal his identity) demonstrates, the entry house allows law enforcement officials to practice the safest way for accessing a home with minimal risk to all.