The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office is planning to build a $20 million complex near the Brevard County Government Center in Viera that will include a regional training center for law enforcement personnel.
BSCO has submitted a $10 million funding request to the Florida Legislature to help pay for the facility.
The request for state funding is being sponsored by two Florida Legislature leaders — House Majority Leader Tyler Sirois, R-Merritt Island, and Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd, R-Palmetto.
The site also would house BCSO’s West Precinct operations, which now are in the Government Center.
Brevard County Commission Chairman Rob Feltner — whose commission district includes Viera — said moving the BCSO West Precinct to the new site would be beneficial. He said it would solve a space crunch for both the BCSO and county departments based at the Government Center by opening up space at the BCSO’s current West Precinct.
In its request for state funding, BCSO said the training facility will enable law enforcement personnel “to receive specialized education in various areas, such as de-escalation techniques, crisis management, human trafficking and legal issues. This environment allows officers to practice and refine their skills in realistic, controlled settings, which is essential for improving decisionmaking and the prevention of community impacting crimes.”
The BCSO said counties that would be served by the training facility include Brevard, Indian River, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia.
It “will give us an opportunity to develop officers from around the state,” and to facilitate “developing them into the best law enforcement officers we can,” BCSO Undersheriff Douglas Waller told Brevard County commissioners at a budget workshop last week.
Advanced training, collaboration
The BCSO said in its state funding request that the facility would provide “standardized, advanced training for law enforcement agencies across Central Florida.”
“Beyond officer advanced training and professional development, the center will serve as a platform for collaboration with state and federal agencies, fostering the exchange of information, insights and innovative techniques,” BCSO said. “This advanced approach will improve multiagency coordination and response capabilities to address a wide range of public safety concerns.”
The BCSO said it also envisions the center to have other benefits, such as “community engagement opportunities by hosting regular citizen workshops and open house events. Citizens will have access to public tours and informational sessions that provide insight into law enforcement training methods.”
Furthermore, the center will offer educational initiatives for youth and community members interested in pursuing careers in law enforcement.
Facility would be built on vacant county land
The 45,000-square-foot complex would be located on vacant, county-owned property off Judge Fran Jamieson Way, between the Government Center and Florida Department of Health offices.
According to an applicaion for funding submitted to the Florida Senate, Brevard County has committed the vacant land, which is valued at $2.85 million, for the project. The county would be the owner of the building.
Construction is targeted to begin in January 2026 and be completed in May 2027.
Waller said the facility is part of the “generational facility improvements” that BCSO is undertaking. That includes the recent opening of an emergency animal hospital facility at the BCSO Animal Care Center just outside Melbourne, as well as plans for upgrades to the county jail work farm complex south of Cocoa.
Dave Berman is business editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Berman at dberman@floridatoday.com, on X at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54
