About Us

About Us
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The Minnesota Emergency Response & Industrial Training (MERIT) Center serves a leadership role as the region’s primary provider of high-quality interagency training of law enforcement, public safety, and industrial safety. The MERIT Center prepares law enforcement professionals to fulfill their responsibilities in a safe manner and at the highest level of proficiency. Training consists of many areas of law enforcement instruction, from firearms and high-speed vehicle operations to leadership and tactical instructions and interview techniques.

The MERIT Center delivers interagency training with optimal efficiency through new cutting edge facilities, equipment, and expertise only available from a consolidated organization. It is through your partnership and sponsorship that the MERIT Center can provide high-quality training and respond quickly to emerging training needs. We have taken on the responsibility to provide the very best training possible to each law enforcement officer who enters our facilities. Everything we do aims to empower them to protect those they serve and themselves, and give them the tools to be exceptional at their craft.

Public-Safety-Training-CentersOur VisionTo be the training facility of choice by public safety, industry and citizens.

Our MissionTo provide the highest quality regional facility supporting training opportunities for public safety, industry and citizens in a safe environment.

Our  History
  • 2000 – The MERIT Center was established as one of three Tier II Regional Training Centers in MN, supported with State and local funds and private sector donations.
  • 2008 – Minnesota Legislature allocated $300,000 for development of the Wind Energy Turbine Training and Hazmat Ethanol training props.
  • 2009 – AES Wind Generation of Lake Benton donated 75’ wind turbine base section for a training prop valued at $200,000.
  • 2010 – 2011 – Minnesota Legislature allocated $1,000,000 for development of driving course, expanded classroom space, and driving simulators. Merit Center received $100,000 grant from Otto Bremer Foundation for completion of Wind Energy Turbine and Ethanol training props.
  • 2015 - Good Neighbor Citizenship Grant from State Farm Companies Foundation and State Farm for $20,000. This grant will be used to update current Driver’s Education Simulators at the MERIT Center.
  • 2016 - Completion of the Vehicle Training Center and the facility expansion. Addition of the Ethanol Training Prop.
  • 2017 - Training Center Coordinator Hired.
  • 2020 - Phase 2 construction updates of the driving track were completed.

Our  FacilityThe Merit Center training campus supports on-site safety training for public agencies and private sector employers.  The training facility includes:

  • Multi-Media Classrooms
  • Five Story Fire & Rescue Training Tower
  • Wind Energy & Rescue Training Tower
  • Water & Ice Rescue Area
  • Mobile Confined Space, Live Burn, and Fire Safety Training Props
  • Vehicle Training Center
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