Live combat and situations awareness training has always been critical to law enforcement in the creation of competent and well-rounded officers, but it comes with some very obvious disadvantages.
There is a very high cost attached to each training session, the possibility of physical harm that can take a prolonged period of time to heal from and the inherent difficulty in creating complex scenarios and environment needed for each training scheme.
Before the advent of VR simulations, there were some scenarios that could not be easily replicated in the real-world hence alternatives like video playback and class lectures where employed but this was grossly lacking.
Virtual reality can provide the type of training that today’s law enforcement officers need with few of the drawbacks inherent in present-day training schemes. By completely immersing the senses in a computer-generated environment, the artificial world becomes reality to users and greatly enhances their training experiences.
Why only Now?
Although a lot of research and development have been conducted in this field, only a limited amount has applied directly to law enforcement. This is because only recently has law enforcement seen the advantages in Virtual Reality technology and started to make full use of it.
Because virtual reality technology is relatively new, most law enforcement administrators know little about it. They know even less about what it can do for their agencies. By understanding what virtual reality is, how it works, and how it can benefit them, law enforcement administrators can become involved in the development of this important new technology.
Moving Forward
While this might be the case, this does not mean that there has been no progress in VR dedicated to Law Enforcement. Companies like Apex Officer are creating Simulations that include firearm use, de-escalation strategies, use of force and crisis intervention simulations. Police train with facsimiles of their duty weapons.
The simulations also require the use of batons, tasers, and flashlights. With the goal of creating the most realistic training simulations possible, Apex Officer provides one of the most immersive VR training for police officers. Its devotion to interactive training has made the company an industry leader.
Combining motion capture technology with content created from real police encounters using body camera footage and input from real officers, companies like Street Smarts VR can create a realistic scenario only requiring an area of 10×10 ft for officers to train in.
Their immersive training scenarios also simulate a variety of real-life stresses and challenges in law enforcement. Offering 360 VR platform for simulations, users get to experience a realistic simulation of a variety of police-citizen scenarios. The system also offers unique training, assessment, and evaluation tools.
VR for Law Enforcement: End Goals
The aim is to provide Top quality training for all law enforcement professionals. From the largest department to the smallest, most remote counties, some of the most advanced virtual reality training can be made available to any law enforcement body. the system is deployed in-precinct within any 10×10 ft. area. Street Smarts VR allows officers to train at any moment, resulting in increased usage, cost savings, and a police force equipped with enhanced training.
The flexibility that the various training scenarios offer and VR’s inherent ability to customize almost all aspect of the experience makes VR training for Law enforcement, not just practical but huge cost savings in the training and conditioning of officers.
But VR isn’t limited to training only, its application as a remote assistance tool is also being explored as a means to assist officers in the field. A good officer uses all available tools at his/her disposal and VR is no different than any good tool which Law Enforcement hope to make good use of.
