Friday, July 3, 2015

White House Fence Gets an Almost-Perceptible Security Improvement

The new spikes are on the left; if you squint, you might see them














Wasn't it all the way back in September 2014 that the White House had that fence-climbing intruder? The one who ran into the house despite all the security countermeasures in place to prevent something like that? And the administration is only now getting around to doing some tangible security improvement to the White House fence?

Better late than never, I guess. But, after nine months, you'd think they could have come up with something a lot more impressive than those tiny fence-top spikes. Those little things provide no appreciable gain in physical security, so far as I can see.

Here's the ABC News article on that minor perimeter security improvement - Metal Spikes Installed on White House Fence in Latest Security Renovation:

Metal spikes were installed atop the White House fence today, the latest enhancement to fortify the security perimeter at the White House.

U.S. Secret Service and the National Park Service mounted the "removable anti-climb feature" this afternoon, but the entire installation process will take six weeks. Designed by Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center, the metal spikes installed today are only a temporary and will be replaced once a long-term solution is implemented, officials said.

Honestly, if a complete fence replacement is coming - someday? - why even bother with an insignificant interim improvement?

6 comments:

Nomads By Nature said...

but it's pretty! And there's no room for the alternative cement imbedded up-side-down broken bottles. Quite possibly the simplicity of the move deceives the eye with razor sharp edges tainted with a chemical like Novocaine to temporarily paralyze any one foolish enough to try to jump again. Don't you remember in the movie Splash when the guy could clearly not walk? Eighties technology should never be doubted.

TSB said...

Nomads,

"Deceives the eye" security design? You're right, I overlooked that angle. The USSS might be using some very subtle and possibly chemical countermeasures against intruders. We should look into that for embassy fence-jumpers. Happy Independence Day to you!

Anonymous said...

TSB: IT'S THE CHICOMS!! We are at war! All hands on deck!! gwb

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-08/what-first-world-cyber-war-looks-global-real-time-cyber-attack-map

(And as usual your government is lying thru their teeth!)

Anonymous said...

TSB: Oprah has the 'straight skinny' on today's shutdown at the NYSE. gwb

https://twitter.com/FedPorn/status/618856760275824642/photo/1

TSB said...

GWB: Aren't the conspiracy guys assuming that the NYSE shutdown was a plot to lock China out of the market after its big stock price drop yesterday? I would think that's a natural.

Anonymous said...

TSB: The conspiracy guys are saying the stock market guys shut down the various parts of the market whenever it starts heading down due to lack of liquidity. I like that theory because we are now convincingly below the 200 day moving average.
Whenever the bring out Meh from Homeland Security to assure us it wasn't a cyber attack... I believe him... It was just the market closing to avoid a worse dive.
gwb I'm looking forward to Chaffetz' histrionics tomorrow. He's the best!