Virginia State Police www.vsp.virginia.gov
Media Release

News Release No. 19

For Immediate Release: September 20, 2012

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE DEDICATE NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART

DRIVER TRAINING COMPLEX IN NOTTOWAY COUNTY

RICHMOND – Virginia State Police today dedicated its new, state-of-the-art driver training facility – the only one of its kind in the Commonwealth - during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony. The Virginia State Police Driver Training Complex is located just outside the Town of Blackstone in Nottoway County. It is a first of its kind for the Virginia State Police and, due to its size, unique design, and topography, unlike any other public safety driver training course in the state.

The Virginia Secretary of Public Safety Marla Decker, Virginia Senator Frank M. Ruff Jr., Virginia Delegate Thomas C. Wright Jr., Nottoway County Vice-Chairman Sherman C. Vaughn and Blackstone Mayor William D. Coleburn joined Virginia State Police Superintendent, Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, with celebrating the completion of the new facilities.

The complex includes 4.5 miles of interstate, urban and rural highways. From the interstate “cloverleaf” to the Urban Response Course’s railroad tracks and cul-de-sacs, the track features asphalt, concrete and gravel surfaces to provide Virginia State Police personnel with the ultimate driver training environment. In addition, the site includes a 342,000 square foot “precision driving course” and 25,000 square foot “skid pan” to simulate various inclement road conditions.

“When you consider that the Virginia State Police uniformed workforce last year traveled more than 29 million miles on every kind of highway the Commonwealth has to offer, it is essential that our troopers are trained to perfection when it comes to operating a vehicle,” said Colonel Flaherty. “The realistic nature of these courses will be of tremendous benefit to our members in their driver training exercises, especially when it comes to preparing future generations of state troopers.”

The dual-purpose, three-story training building features 60 squad rooms, large-scale classrooms, a full-service cafeteria, offices and meeting space. Most notable is the Driver Simulator room. For the first time in the Department’s 80 year history, sworn personnel will have the opportunity to complement their driver training with the use of three state-of-the-art Law Enforcement 550 LE™ Interactive Driving Simulation Systems. In addition, the building is capable of serving as an alternate emergency operations center for the State Police.

“This new facility also greatly benefits the public by aiding our personnel in their abilities to respond to calls for service and by the fact that the complex was built at no cost to the taxpayer,” said Flaherty.

-CONTINUED-

In 2007, the Virginia State Police was awarded $44 million from the federal government’s $634 million settlement with international pharmaceutical companies, The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc., and Purdue Pharma, L.P. The settlement resulted from the company’s fraudulent marketing of OxyContin, a Schedule II prescription pain relief medication. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation was one of several law enforcement agencies involved in the five-year, complex, multi-state investigation. From the settlement, $27.4 million was allocated for the redesign and construction of the Virginia State Police Driver Training Complex.

Phase II of the 680-acre Nottoway County complex is set to begin in early 2013 with the construction of a new Virginia State Police firing range.

# # #

MEDIA NOTE: Photos from today’s ribbon cutting ceremonies and aerial shots of the complex are available for download and use at Flickr.com: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vsp-photos. Please note photo credits listed with each photograph.

Regional Media Contacts

Statewide
(804)674-2789 / Richmond
(804)553-3494 / Culpeper
(540)829-7713 / Appomattox
(434)352-7128 / Wytheville
(276)228-3131 / Chesapeake
(757)424-6827 / Salem/Roanoke
(540)375-9598 / Fairfax
(804)674-2789

Find VSP on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/VirginiaStatePolice