SAN ANTONIO - Texas – Two weeks ago, nearly a dozen weapons were stolen from Battle Grounds, a facility used to train law enforcement, military, and security personnel.
Justin Torres, the owner, explained, “We want to give them those type of scenarios to come in through here so; when they see it in the real world, [it] is not the first time they’ve seen it. They know how to react.”
He said 11 training weapons were taken from the non-ballistic tactical training facility that just opened this year.
He described what was stolen: “Four Unit Solutions rifles and seven Glock 17T training ammunition pistols are gone.”
The weapons were designed for training purposes, but Torres said they are crucial for training and safety during courses held at the facility.
The burglary did not stop scheduled SWAT training.
Torres said it continued initially with officers having to pretend.
“So the officers [were] coming through here with their hands [and] we’re simulating,” he said. “We [had] finger guns.”
Torres said Simunition weapons matter not only for officers but for the communities they serve.
“Going through a doorway with a rifle and coming through a door with your finger, it’s totally different,” he exclaimed. “It’s not the same. It’s not that distance, you know, it is a really, really big difference; so we are just not able to get the actual rep in. The people that are really suffering is the general public that need an officer to come [to their aid]. I want whatever officer that shows up to be very well trained and know exactly what to do, [and] when they need to do it,” Torres said.
He said it is tough to see and accept that the officers currently going through courses at Battle Grounds are bringing their own training equipment.
“But these things are extremely expensive and extremely hard to get a hold of.”
Torres said he has paid out of pocket to replace some items and shared that Unit Solutions, one of the training companies that has partnered with him, has provided a couple of replacements.
He also said officers from various areas, including out-of-town and out-of-state law enforcement departments that have trained at his facility, have offered support.
Torres expressed gratitude and said any help is appreciated as he continues working to replace everything that was stolen so he can put his full focus back on his main objective.
“[For] officers to get training, to get the good reps in, and to become better officers today than they were yesterday,” he said.
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