Gun range in sights of Johnson County officials

Law enforcement officials in Johnson County are renewing a push to open a gun range.

The range could save deputies and officers a lot of driving. Johnson County Sheriff Lonny Pulkrabek says right now, his deputies and officers in other agencies must drive to Cedar Rapids for target practice.

The sheriff says they have to make quite a few trips to stay sharp.

"Every sworn officer has to qualify two times a year," Pulkrabek said. "We have the special and tactical teams that need to shoot much more often than that. "

The Cedar Rapids range also isn't the right size for his department to practice with sniper rifles and other long-range arms, Pulkrabek added.

In 2007, Johnson County proposed building a gun range near Kalona, at the site where police found the body of 10 year-old Jetseta Gage. But complaints from neighbors about noise ended that plan.

-- KCRG.com