By the staff of Police1
The possibilities of virtual reality application are almost endless, making it a popular high-tech tool for training police officers. From escalation to mental crisis calls, here’s a rundown of some of the latest virtual training in police departments across the country.
Oklahoma police officers who use Vive virtual reality to simulate mental health calls
Officers from Moore, Oklahoma, use the Vive virtual simulator to train unlimited scenarios.
“We can simulate conversations or scenarios specifically in an environment or a type of call,” Lt. Kyle Hill said. The simulator can specifically help with mental health calls, police said.
The Sacramento Police Department uses virtual reality for de-escalation training
The Sacramento Police Department uses SURVIVR virtual training to teach officers how to respond to high-stakes calls. Each scenario can be customized and can change depending on how the agent handles it. A primary goal is to help officers de-escalate situations safely, police said.
Indiana police officers are participating in a virtual training on climbing
Police in Greenfield, Indiana, are now receiving virtual reality training for stressful situations. The new program comes after lawmakers passed a bill requiring escalation training. The program is also more cost-effective and less expensive than analog field training, police said.
Pennsylvania County police receive virtual training to answer mental crisis calls
Police in New Castle County, Pennsylvania, use Vive’s virtual reality training to make mental crisis calls, among other things. The program includes specific situations, such as dealing with people with disabilities and even peer interventions. The department says it will soon organize virtual training with various agents to develop teamwork skills.
The Florida Police Academy trains cadets in a 320-degree virtual setting
The St. Pete College is training the next generation of police officers with VirTra’s 320-degree virtual training stage. It can be presented to cadets with 250 scenarios, each with different results depending on how the recruit reacts.
California PD uses InVeris for training in communications and download
Police officers in Del Norte, California, use InVeris ’virtual training to practice strategic communications and reduce volatile situations. According to police, the device is designed to be a skills-focused training tool for decision making.
Massachusetts PD rents the VirTra simulator to make up for the training lost by COVID
Like most organizations, the Burlington police department in Massachusetts has had to adjust during the pandemic. After canceling the standard training courses, the agency decided to rent a VirTra simulator to make up for lost time. Officials say the virtual reality program could add hundreds of additional hours of training each year, helping officers learn to handle anything from a stray dog to a force use situation, to to a call with a person with autism.
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