'It Was Amazing': Neighbors Drawn Out Of Homes As Emergency Crews Take Over Nuisance House For Training

ARDEN-ARCADE (CBS13) - A wild scene unfolded in an Arden-Arcade neighborhood as a massive training exercise was enough to draw people out of their homes.

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Special Enforcement Detail and Explosive Ordinance Detail gathered in full gear at a known nuisance house.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters were also on scene.

"It was amazing. The type of huge trucks that they were using, and it looked like military-grade stuff that they were using," said neighbor Kellie Randle.

From useless to useful, the neighborhood eyesore transformed into ground zero for critical training. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department North Area Problem Oriented Policing Team (POP) worked with the community and numerous county resources to get the house cleared out in an effort to restore peace to the neighborhood after years of calls to the problem house.

"There was a lot of stuff going on it. It was not good to have on your street," said Randle.

The home's new owner decided to turn it over to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department to let law enforcement and firefighters use the house for training before tearing it down.

"It's just nice of the new owner to think of things like that," said neighbor Flora Hu. "That's really cool. My daughter was just so excited."

More from CBS Sacramento:

• Businesses Buck Rules With Packed Indoor Dining In Stanislaus County
  
• 1 Killed, 1 Injured In North Highlands Shooting
  
• 'COVID Ravaged My Beautiful Daughter's Body': Sutter County Nurses On Mission To Get Everyone Vaccinated
  

Neighbors of all ages gathered at the training to ask questions and learn about critical tactics used to keep communities safe.

"I absolutely love it, especially given the current times. It's no secret we're in tumultuous times right now between law enforcement with the civil unrest," said Sgt. Kionna Rowe.

Rowe says she welcomes any chance to bridge the gap with her community. Right in the heart of it, officers demonstrated explosive breaching training and firefighters did venting training.

"So to be able to that collaboratively and get that kind of training in the community was really a stroke of serendipity," said Rowe.

From a nuisance property to a new beginning, neighbors welcomed the change and the benefit that came with it.

"It was a sad situation, but I'm glad that they were able to use that house for the training that they need," said Randle.