Sherwood residents voice strong opposition to new police shooting range
A plan to build a shooting range for the Sherwood Police Department just outside the city has had neighbors riled up and looking for a different solution.
SHERWOOD, Ark. — A plan to build a shooting range for the Sherwood Police Department just outside the city has had neighbors all riled up and looking for a different solution.
A 22-acre property that is located in North Little Rock would house an administrative building for both the Sherwood fire and police departments for training, which would include a shooting range.
The property would also include a wash bay for the department’s vehicles and a maintenance and operations building. However, it’s the shooting range that residents of the Brushy Island community have shared concerns about.
“The opposition to the shooting range has been widespread and overwhelming. The reasons that people do not want it are one because it is so close,” explained Kennedy Young, who is a resident in the Brushy Island neighborhood.
While the push back seems to be recent, Sherwood Mayor Mary Jo Heye-Townsell explained that this project has been in the works since late 2023.
There have been claims that homes are being annexed, but the mayor explained how that is not the case.
“So, there’s been a lot of misinformation that has been put out there. This project started in early 2023. At each step of the way, we were out there in terms of our city council meetings, they are live-streamed, they are recorded,” Mayor Heye-Townsell added.
The annexed property that the city passed on Monday is the 22 acres next to I-57 near the interchange with 440. The hope was to put those acres within the Sherwood city limits.
“The City of Sherwood is basically expressing their desire to annex our own property, nobody else’s but our own property, into the city of Sherwood. So tonight (Monday), you heard some different things like that. We’re annexing other people. We are not,” said the mayor.
As to why this facility is so important, Sherwood Police Chief Jeff Hagar said that it’s all about time, and efficient for the department and not having to rely on other agencies.
“So this range was designed for the Sherwood Police Department, but just like we have had to use other facilities, we would certainly make it available for agencies if they can schedule it at reasonable times,” he described.
However, some community members still have concerns about the facility, with it being so close to homes.
“Safety is the impacts of noise pollution on veterans, the impact of noise pollution on children, on people with sensory sensitivities,” Young said.
According to the mayor, the plans and design of the facility were planned with the safety of the community.
“This is all under supervision. You count the shells. This is not how you get lead poisoning. And we are not upstream. We are downstream. Just to reiterate, this is on the corner of Landers and Two Pine roads,” she said. “Two Pine Roads are where you turn to go into the landfill. We are actually shooting towards a landfill, not towards home, and we are not adjacent to any homes,” said the mayor.
What the neighbors of Brushy Island can do is a little limited, as the process has been approved through the city and county, all of which is available to the public.
The groundbreaking for the shooting range happened earlier this year.