The Terrorists are Coming! The Terrorists are Coming!

Well not really but if you were around the Moundsville Penitentiary lately you would have thought so. This weekend though Wednesday is the 12th Annual Mock Prison Riot in Moundsville, WV. Unfortunately the Mock Prison Riots are not open to the public.

The sole purpose of the Mock Prison Riots is to give law enforcement agencies from around the world a chance to sharpen their skills using a real environment. It really boils down to a show and tell with feedback. It is a great way for teams from around the world to be put into a realistic riot scenario using the latest technologies and find out what works and what does not work.

The Moundsville State Penitentiary was decommissioned in 1995 and is now used for historical and educational tours. Several years ago I attended a fair at the Pen and let me tell you the place is definitely not a cozy place. The tour guide was actually the son of a former guard and had several interesting and somewhat graphic stories about what REALLY went on behind those walls. If you want to know more about the Moundsville State Penitentiary and all of its' rich history take a trip over to www.wvpentours.com.