Area law enforcement officers will soon have a new place to practice firing their weapons.

Work is underway on a new firing range behind the Franklin County Jail on Walnut Gate Road.

Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said members of his office and the Russellville Police Department are doing the work on the range, but it will be available for use by any law enforcement agency in the county.

Oliver said members of the sheriff’s office usually travel to Red Bay to qualify and it often forces them into overtime.

“When we go to Red Bay, we usually send a large group at a time so that puts us into overtime,” Oliver said.

“When this range is complete, it will allow officers to come and go throughout the day.”

The work is being done using equipment that the Russellville Police Department received through the federal surplus program.

“Employees are doing the work in their spare time, so we don’t have a definite opening date set, but we hope to have it ready to go by the middle of the summer,” Oliver said.

The range will consist of six to eight lanes, allowing several officers to qualify at any given time.

“It will be a valuable resource to have,” Oliver said. “I think it will save the county and the city money over time and will be a great tool for our officers. I appreciate the Russellville Police Department and the work they have put in on this project as well.”