ROANOKE CO, Va.—
They may not be sworn officers but some Roanoke County high school students are helping the swat team.
Building trade and masonry students from Burton's Center for Arts and Technology are building a training facility for the swat team.
About 60 students are taking part. They started in September.
Roanoke County's Police Department has never had a permanent training facility for the swat team.
It was the acting police chief's idea to ask Burton's students to build the facility.
The county provided the materials, the students are providing the hard labor.
The county gets a new building and saves about $5,000, the students get real life experience.
Senior Gino Saunders told News 7, "People think it don't take much to go out and throw some boards together or throw some brick on top of each other and put some mortar in there. It's a lot harder than we think."
"If you are going to pursue a career in this, like I plan to do, it's good to come out here and get a good feel for it," said Sophomore Dylan Moran.
The students will be rewarded for their hard work. The police department plans to throw them a pizza party and give each of them a police medallion coin.
"It's really awesome. Anytime you can get something done and work together through the school system and everyone involved it saves time, it saves money," said Sgt. Jay Matze.
The swat team plans to begin using the training facility in April.
