Oak Harbor to unveil new public safety training facility May 15

Oak Harbor’s new public safety training facility is set to turn a former indoor shooting range into a place where Island County responders can practice for the kinds of calls that do not wait for a trip off island. The city will mark the project with a public ribbon-cutting from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 15 at 951 NE 21st Ct., Suite 1, just off Goldie Road, and residents are invited to tour the building.

The 13,000-square-foot site once operated as Pacific Indoor Tactical, also known as Anchor Point, and the city says it will support Oak Harbor Police Department operations and the Skagit County Interlocal Drug Enforcement Unit Task Force. Earlier descriptions of the building noted a 13-lane firearms range, a classroom and two multi-use training spaces, giving the city room to run realistic drills instead of relying on improvised setups. For everyday island risks such as a domestic-disturbance call, an overdose response or a tense patrol encounter, that means officers and partner agencies can practice de-escalation, patrol tactics, use of force and intervention strategies in one place.

Oak Harbor City Council approved the purchase Oct. 21, 2025. The city said it bought the property for $2.75 million, below a combined list price of $3,277,500, and calculated the deal at about $211 per square foot, compared with roughly $667 per square foot for comparable facilities. The funding package included state money, opioid settlement dollars, a public safety accreditation grant, 2025 police payroll savings, reserves and unencumbered fund balance. City officials said no new taxes or bonds were used.

State Rep. Dave Paul helped secure the state funding, according to the city’s materials. Mayor Ronnie Wright has said the project reflects public safety, fiscal responsibility and community partnership, while Police Chief Tony Slowik has called it a major step toward high-quality, realistic training for officers and regional partners.

The facility also has room for broader use. Oak Harbor officials have said agencies including the Island County Sheriff’s Office, Langley Police Department, Anacortes Police Department, Swinomish Police Department and San Juan County Sheriff’s Office could train there, strengthening the North Sound region’s emergency response network. City leaders have also said the building could draw visiting personnel for training events, adding some economic activity as well as a new public-safety asset on Whidbey Island.