Shooting Range Dedicated to Boyd’s Memory
The Police Department this week dedicated its shooting range to the memory of range master Joseph S. Boyd, who died in a shooting accident at the facility in February.
A street that runs in front of police headquarters was also renamed Boyd Way by the city to commemorate the contribution the former Marine and weapons expert made to Santa Ana.
The dedication ceremony was attended by members of Boyd’s family as well as law enforcement officers from agencies across Orange County. Several departments, including the offices of the Orange County marshal and the Orange County district attorney, practice at the Santa Ana Police Department’s range.
Boyd, who oversaw the weapons training for all Santa Ana Police officers, shot himself in February while inspecting an illegal gun believed to be linked to a crime.
Boyd was instrumental in the design and development of the state-of-the-art range that is computerized to mimic real-life situations. The lighting in the range, for example, may change to shadows to simulate night or evening. A fully operational patrol car allows officers to practice shooting from the car or from behind it.
Boyd’s training innovations were honored by the city of Santa Ana in 1997.
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