Posted on 03/20/2015 3:52:37 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Washington (AFP) - The US Secret Service has requested $8 million to build a replica of the White House for use in training agents to prevent incidents like last year's mansion intrusion, the agency's director said Tuesday.
Joseph Clancy said the agency's current rudimentary training facility, in Beltsville, Maryland, is not to scale, and has "no structures, vehicle gates, lighting, or other aides to enhance the training simulations."
He told a House of Representatives panel reviewing 2016 funding that his agency's budget "includes $8 million for the design and initial construction of a White House mock-up" in Maryland that will provide for a "more realistic environment conducive to scenario-based training exercises."
At the current facility, for example, "bike barricades" are stand-ins for White House fencing, Clancy said.
The lack of realistic training facilities is in marked contrast to US military operations, which have used such replicas for years.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
They want this for a reason other than the one stated.
Wouldn’t this “replica” sit on a 500 acre training facility.
I still want a pony!
You’re too late, they stopped making em...
People in hell want ice water.
Broke my heart...
That’s a good point.
Also, why do they need this? They’ve never needed anything like this before.
Sounds like a cheap way of excusing what I consider to be a dumbing down of the SS agents.
I think they are wrecking the original pretty good so I don’t see a reason for the expense.I think were good here.
If this were really justifiable, the “conservative” solution wouldn’t be to spend $8 million on new construction. Rather, it would be to buy a rural house (to avoid annoying any neighbors) with a large lawn and a fence, install some white columns and paint it white, and start training. Total cost < $1 million. Oh, and remove all furniture so as to discourage partying. The next conservative President ought to do just that to show how it’s done and set a frugal example.
A replica will keep the SS from driving while drunk?
Perhaps it's new agents that are needed, not new props.
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