Springfield- The Springfield Police and Fire Departments have a new place to train. Springfield City Commissioners approved the police department's request to use part of the old Shaw Adult Center for training purposes.

The Bay District School Board approved the transfer of the facility to the City of Springfield in September. The city plans to use most of the buildings for public functions. But building three, which includes two classrooms and restrooms, will be used exclusively for police and fire training. It's going to be a welcome change for the departments.
"We are using our break room for training now. We'll have a large classroom that we can set up. One classroom will be for defensive tactics, we can set the mats up and not have to take them up and down. It will be designated specifically for us," explained Springfield Police Chief Philip Thorne.

Thorne says Springfield Police and Fire Departments aren't the only ones who will benefit. He says the Gulf Coast Community College public safety department is going to ask the Florida Fepartment of Law Enforcement to certify the facility as a training center for their program as well.

Also during Monday night's city commission meeting, members discussed the possibility of holding city elections every other year, rather than yearly, and extending terms of office to four years, up from two. They say the changes would save the city money and improve the effectiveness of those in office.