RSA’s relationship with the City of Arlington has been a longstanding partnership that began with the design of a North Police Substation, which includes a number of technical police spaces such as crime labs, a central evidence repository, patrol, and CID. Building on the success of the North Police Substation, RSA was commissioned for a second, concurrent project: the Public Safety Training Center Master Plan. 

The PSTC project addresses a unique challenge posed by the existing shooting range’s inadequate ventilation, which potentially creates hazardous conditions due to lead exposure. Plans include constructing a new shooting range, supplemented by advanced training facilities. A highlight of this project is the proposed simulated ammunition facility with reconfigurable walls. This innovative space allows for versatile fire tactical and police training, including a catwalk with audiovisual recording capabilities for post-training debriefings. The center will also feature dedicated classrooms, instructor offices, administration spaces, and a multi-bay shooting area for simultaneous basic and supplementary training.

Space optimization is a key consideration, with RSA exploring options for joint-use campus configurations. These include relocating fire and police training to a larger campus or building a new joint substation, thereby repurposing existing sites for a comprehensive fire/police training center. The project also contemplates an Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) skills pad.