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US Secret Service Virtualizes Tiny Town
An anonymous reader writes "For the past 40 years, a miniature model environment called 'Tiny Town' has been one of the methods used to teach Secret Service agents and officers how to prepare a site security plan. The model includes different sites — an airport, outdoor stadium, urban rally site and a hotel interior — and uses scaled models of buildings, cars and security assets. With help from the Department of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate, the Secret Service is giving training scenarios a high-tech edge: moving from static tabletop models to virtual kiosks with gaming technology and 3D modeling."
The old system wasn't broken why update it? Are their systems in the field digital or is it maps and tabletops and pencils?
It also seems that this would change the learning styles for the agents. Having physical tabletop models is going to engage your eyes and your senses differently than the computer will. You're going to interact with your peers differently too. If it matches whats in the field it is better/
Secret Service Agent 1 - President Obama will be walking down Ave B surrounded by six agents in standard formation.
Secret Service Agent trainee - Rolls six-sided die. My Terminators will teleport on top of your Suburban and my Imperial Guard will move south on Ave A.
Secret Service Agent 2 - That's impossible.. stick to the rules.
Secret Service Agent 1 - Exactly, we're dealing with reality here. Everyone knows Terminators can't teleport on top of vehicles and your Imperial Guard won't have line of sight to the President.
Secret Service Agent trainee - Takes out a yard stick, lines it up with the President and his figures... I do have line of sight, cry more noob.
they could have just used Google maps and given the agents real towns they might encounter.
[In a Tiny Town 3D Kiosk, confronted with numerous menacing-looking targets, Edwards shoots a cardboard little girl]
Zed: May I ask why you felt little Tiffany deserved to die?
James Edwards: Well, she was the only one that actually seemed dangerous at the time, sir.
Zed: How'd you come to that conclusion?
James Edwards: Well, first I was gonna pop this guy hanging from the street light, and I realized, y'know, he's just working out. I mean, how would I feel if somebody come runnin' in the gym and bust me in my ass while I'm on the treadmill? Then I saw this snarling beast guy, and I noticed he had a tissue in his hand, and I'm realizing, y'know, he's not snarling, he's sneezing. Y'know, ain't no real threat there. Then I saw little Tiffany. I'm thinking, y'know, eight-year-old white girl, middle of the ghetto, bunch of monsters, this time of night with quantum physics books? She about to start some shit, Zed. She's about eight years old, those books are WAY too advanced for her. If you ask me, I'd say she's up to something. And to be honest, I'd appreciate it if you eased up off my back about it.
[pause]
James Edwards: Or do I owe her an apology?
[pause]
James Edwards: That's a good shot though...
intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
The US military has had practice towns for years. They use the term "MOUT" (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) sites. There's even a VRML file for the one at Fort Benning. There's a bigger one at Fort Irwin, and most major infantry bases have at least a modest mockup town.
The FBI has an elaborate one at Quantico, VA. The Secret Service, though, doesn't seem to have one at their training center. They do, though, have a really big skid pad, for driving practice.
It's not clear from the article whether "Tiny Town" is a planning aid or a training aid. That is, do they match real-world areas where they plan to operate, or just use it for training exercises?
get the hell out of my Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 games!
I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.
Haven't we learned that table-top is better than a computer version via extensive D&D research?
Balderdash!