Tour of Boone County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center

by Dr. Alejandra Villegas Lopez and Dr. Isabel Warner

On April 29, Dr. Alejandra Villegas Lopez, MOST's Human Services and Public Safety Policy Fellow, toured the Boone County Sheriff's Office Regional Training Center in Columbia, MO. The tour was part of the Wake Up With REDI program, organized by Regional Economic Development, Inc (REDI). The program aims to strengthen connections between REDI's Board and Ex Officio members and organizations driving economic vitality in Boone County. The group visits companies and organizations, engages with local leaders, and facilitates insights into the region’s evolving economic landscape and future opportunities for growth.

Dr. Villegas Lopez was invited to attend to see firsthand how Boone County is approaching public safety infrastructure and training current and future law enforcement professionals.

The event was hosted by Boone County Commissioner and MOST Fellows Advisory Board alumnus Kip Kendrick alongside Sheriff Dwayne Carey. Sheriff Carey led the tour through multiple specialized buildings designed for scenario-based instruction. These included:  

• A warehouse with three modular shoot houses, which are reconfigurable room and hallway structures that allow officers to practice building searches and tactical operations.
• An indoor gun range that uses controlled lighting to simulate low-light conditions, enabling nighttime training simulations during the day and reduces noise for surrounding neighborhoods.
• Driving simulators that allow officers to train for pursuits and traffic stops.
• Virtual reality equipment to replicate specific environments like courthouses and schools.
• A replica jail cell to support hands-on practice in de-escalation and the safe extraction of a person from a cell.

These spaces give officers the opportunity to practice response drills in community spaces before an incident occurs.

“Touring the facility gave me a much clearer picture of the preparation that goes into law enforcement work in Boone County,” Dr. Villegas Lopez noted. “Officers aren't just reading manuals or completing online courses. They're practicing real scenarios in spaces built to replicate the environments they'll actually encounter.”

Sheriff Carey emphasized the importance of the center's mandatory defensive tactics training. Defense tactics cover a broad range of skills including:

• Verbal de-escalation
• Body language interpretation
• Takedowns
• Restraints

He highlighted that MO currently has no statewide continuing education requirements for defensive tactics in law enforcement. At the training center, enrolled officers are required to complete two hours of hands-on defensive tactic instruction per month.

The center offers an introductory year of free training to neighboring sheriff offices, before requiring paid membership.