An empty beachfront apartment-hotel on Palm Beach’s South End is set to play host to police-training exercises.
Palm Beach Police will train at 2730 S. Ocean Blvd., the former Ambassador Hotel and Residences, from April 16-23, the town said in an alert on April 15.
“During this time, members of the public may hear simulated gunfire and notice an increased law enforcement presence in and around the property,” the town said in its notice.
The Palm Beach Police Department is the only agency training at the site, spokesperson Sgt. Michael Ogrodnick said.
The training at the oceanfront property is routine and will not be able to be viewed by the public or media, the town said. Exercises will not affect traffic, officials said.
Palm Beach’s police and fire-rescue departments regularly conduct exercises to train responders to handled emergency situations ranging from traffic crashes to rescues of people who are injured or trapped in confined spaces.
The former Ambassador property has been vacant since September in anticipation of a major redevelopment project that is slated to bring a new luxury, low-density condo to the South End.
The aging structure, which at one point prompted multiple code violations and safety concerns for residents, is slated for demolition begin during the coming off-season, a project representative told the Citizens’ Association of Palm Beach during a November redevelopment panel discussion.
In October, Palm Beach police and fire-rescue crews conducted training exercises with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Secret Service at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club. During that training, neighbors and those in the area were cautioned they may hear simulated gunfire.
Kristina Webb is a reporter for Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at kwebb@pbdailynews.com. Subscribe today to support our journalism.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: ‘Simulated gunfire’ likely as Palm Beach Police train at former hotel
Reporting by Kristina Webb, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Daily News
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