Hogan's Alley (FBI)
Encyclopedia
Hogan's Alley is a tactical training facility of more than 10 acres (40,000 m²) operated by the FBI Training Academy
. Hogan's Alley was opened in 1987, and was designed to provide a realistic urban setting for training agents of the FBI, DEA
, and other local, state, federal and international law enforcement agents. It is also occasionally used as an urban combat training venue for lieutenants at the United States Marine Corps
' The Basic School, which is located nearby. The term "Hogan's Alley" is also used generically to refer to any shooting range devoted to tactical training.
Hogan's Alley is used to teach agents investigative techniques, firearms skills, and defensive tactics. Scenarios involve investigations of terrorist activities, planning and making arrests, processing evidence at crime scenes, conducting interviews and searches, using ballistic shields as protection, and clearing areas and buildings so they're safe to enter. Simulated munitions, which are essentially realistic paintball guns, are used in simulated gun fights with the criminal role players.
and World War II
. The first reference to a facility called "Hogan's Alley" was at the Special Police School, established by the National Rifle Association
and the Army's National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice at Camp Perry
in Ohio
. The facility was established after a 1920 survey of police departments for cities with a population over 25,000 revealed that only 13 had established marksmanship training programs. In 1924, the police departments of all cities with populations of over 10,000 were invited to participate in national matches at Camp Perry.
The coming of WWII closed the Special Police School down, but the principle of Hogan's Alley lived on in other forms, such as the "House of Horrors" kill house
described by Rex Applegate
in his book "Kill or be Killed". The setup used for training OSS
agents was quite a bit different from the modern Hogan's Alley, since lack of simulated munitions meant that training with live targets was not possible. The OSS agents trained using pop-up targets and reduced caliber
, .22 Long Rifle
pistols to minimize the danger and the damage to the facility, but it was still live ammunition and potentially lethal. Instructors followed students through the house by holding onto their belts, so that contact was always maintained in the darkened corridors.
Since civilian law enforcement's rules of engagement
are far more restrictive than those generally in effect in the military, the FBI's Hogan's Alley relies on simulated munitions and role playing to make the shoot/no-shoot decisions far more realistic than was possible in the past. Modern simulations used by military and police also now include a wide range of simulated weapons and scenarios, from force on force scenarios using paintball gun technology to life sized, computer animated simulations projected in special 360 degree theaters, using advanced light guns with force feedback to simulate recoil.
, a 1984 arcade game and later Nintendo light gun
game that simulates a live fire shooting range with pop-up shoot/no-shoot targets.
FBI Academy
The FBI Academy, located in Quantico, Virginia, is the training site for new Special Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was first opened for use in 1972 on 385 acres of woodland. It is a relatively small government academy, housing three dormitory buildings and...
. Hogan's Alley was opened in 1987, and was designed to provide a realistic urban setting for training agents of the FBI, DEA
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
, and other local, state, federal and international law enforcement agents. It is also occasionally used as an urban combat training venue for lieutenants at the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
' The Basic School, which is located nearby. The term "Hogan's Alley" is also used generically to refer to any shooting range devoted to tactical training.
Description of FBI Facility
Hogan's Alley consists of a street with a bank, a post office, a hotel ("The Dogwood Inn"), a laundromat, a barber shop, a pool hall, homes, shops, and more, many of which are named after events in the FBI's past. The town is populated by actors who role play parts appropriate to the training that is in progress; most play innocent bystanders, but some play terrorists, bank robbers, drug dealers, or other criminal roles. One of the buildings really houses a classroom for training agents on site, another houses a working FBI office used in some simulated scenarios.Hogan's Alley is used to teach agents investigative techniques, firearms skills, and defensive tactics. Scenarios involve investigations of terrorist activities, planning and making arrests, processing evidence at crime scenes, conducting interviews and searches, using ballistic shields as protection, and clearing areas and buildings so they're safe to enter. Simulated munitions, which are essentially realistic paintball guns, are used in simulated gun fights with the criminal role players.
History
The FBI's Hogan's Alley has evolved out of established police and military training facilities dating back to the period between World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The first reference to a facility called "Hogan's Alley" was at the Special Police School, established by the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
and the Army's National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice at Camp Perry
Camp Perry
Camp Perry is a National Guard training facility located on the shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. In addition to its regular mission as a military training base, Camp Perry also boasts the largest outdoor rifle range in the world...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. The facility was established after a 1920 survey of police departments for cities with a population over 25,000 revealed that only 13 had established marksmanship training programs. In 1924, the police departments of all cities with populations of over 10,000 were invited to participate in national matches at Camp Perry.
The coming of WWII closed the Special Police School down, but the principle of Hogan's Alley lived on in other forms, such as the "House of Horrors" kill house
Kill house
Kill House is a live ammunition training facility used to train soldiers and police officers in the tactics necessary for urban combat. Kill houses are designed to mimic a varying range of structures such as suburban homes and factories to prepare soldiers and police officers for close range combat...
described by Rex Applegate
Rex Applegate
Rex Applegate was an American military officer who worked for the Office of Strategic Services, where he trained Allied special forces personnel in close-quarters combat during World War II. He held the rank of colonel....
in his book "Kill or be Killed". The setup used for training OSS
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
agents was quite a bit different from the modern Hogan's Alley, since lack of simulated munitions meant that training with live targets was not possible. The OSS agents trained using pop-up targets and reduced caliber
Caliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
, .22 Long Rifle
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
pistols to minimize the danger and the damage to the facility, but it was still live ammunition and potentially lethal. Instructors followed students through the house by holding onto their belts, so that contact was always maintained in the darkened corridors.
Since civilian law enforcement's rules of engagement
Rules of engagement
Rules of Engagement refers to those responses that are permitted in the employment of military personnel during operations or in the course of their duties. These rules of engagement are determined by the legal framework within which these duties are being carried out...
are far more restrictive than those generally in effect in the military, the FBI's Hogan's Alley relies on simulated munitions and role playing to make the shoot/no-shoot decisions far more realistic than was possible in the past. Modern simulations used by military and police also now include a wide range of simulated weapons and scenarios, from force on force scenarios using paintball gun technology to life sized, computer animated simulations projected in special 360 degree theaters, using advanced light guns with force feedback to simulate recoil.
Origin of name Hogan's Alley
According to the FBI, they "borrowed it from the 'Hogan's Alley' comic strip of the 1800s. The alley was located in a rough neighborhood, so we thought the name fit our crime-ridden town." While the comic strip was almost certainly the original source of the name, the Camp Perry facility was probably the more immediate source of the name. The Camp Perry facility re-opened in 1956, and was probably used by the FBI, and that was probably the inspiration for the 1984 arcade game "Hogan's Alley".See also
Hogan's Alley (arcade game)Hogan's Alley (arcade game)
Hogan's Alley is a 1984 arcade game by Nintendo. It was one of the first games to use a light gun as an input device.-Overview:"Hogan's Alley" is the FBI's training camp tool to train new recruits...
, a 1984 arcade game and later Nintendo light gun
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
game that simulates a live fire shooting range with pop-up shoot/no-shoot targets.
External links
- Hogan's Alley @ fbi.gov
- Article, "NRA & law enforcement: Ties that bind" American Rifleman, Aug 1995.
- http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nytimes/118420232.html?did=118420232&FMT=ABS&FMTS=AI&date=Aug+30%2C+1931&author=By+HANSON+W.+BALDWIN%2C+Staff+Correspondent+of+The+New+York+Times.&desc=PERRY%27S+26TH+YEAR+SALUTED+ON+RANGESArticle, "PERRY'S 26TH YEAR SALUTED ON RANGES; Colonel Critchfield, Founder of Camp, Celebrates by Bossing Fire at His "Running Deer." POLICE VICTORS EMERGE St. Louisan Wins "Hogan's Alley" Shoot--Robert Hughes Takes First Honors Among Juniors. Colonel Critchfield on Job at 67. Veteran's Gossip of Old Days. Varied Costumes of Motley Throng. Winner of "Hogan's Alley" Battle. Turtles Assist in Alibis. Juniors Receive Their Awards. High Honors for Robert Hughes. Police Prizes Bestowed" by HANSON W. BALDWIN, New York Times Aug 30, 1931. pg. 16]