The Austin Police Department hopes a virtual training facility inside a tractor-trailer can help its officers learn how to survive and save lives in a constitutionally sound manner.

At the APD training academy site in Southeast Travis County you'll find the Laser Shot demonstration trailer. Not much on the outside -- but inside, APD officers with real guns face real-life training situations. The way it works, whether the officer fires a gun or a Taser, the bullet or Taser dart leaves a heat signature that's read by a computer.

"I really believe that you do in the real world what you do in training and this is real world training, realistic training where the mistakes that are made we want them to be made here not out on the streets," said APD Chief Art Acevedo.

Nearby, Sgt. Robert Richman fires practice rounds at a target. Why is the Laser Shot trailer better?

"Anybody can shoot at a target that's just sitting there and not interacting with you, this is real life," Acevedo said.

There's also a distinct difference in noise. Target range shots are louder compared to the muffled shots coming out of the trailer. APD says this will allow the trailer to be brought to all the substations without disturbing nearby neighborhoods-- allowing for officers to get documented training three to four times a year right where they report to work, instead of the once a year training at the academy.

City managers say that makes the nearly $500,000 cost of the trailer a much easier sell.

"I think the return on the investment here is pretty obvious and pretty worthwhile because it can make the difference between life and death," said Austin City Manager Marc Ott.

Tuesday Governor Perry approved grant funding for the project which means the Laser Shot trailer should be up and running by the end of the year.