Police agencies are turning to virtual reality to improve split-second decision making

AURORA, Colo. – Police departments across the country are turning to virtual reality training to help officers make split-second decisions in difficult and sometimes dangerous situations.

The goal is to help officers respond to every call quickly and safely, according to technology company Axon, and more than 1,500 police agencies in the United States and Canada are now using Axon’s virtual reality training program to make that possible.

Recruits at the Aurora Police Department in Colorado are among those training with the technology.

“You’re really in the scene, moving around and just feeling everything,” said recruit Jose Vazquez Duran.

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Fellow recruit Tyler Frick described it as “Almost like… a 3D movie. Except this is exactly what we’ll be doing when we graduate from the academy.”

Aurora PD uses Axon’s virtual reality program to prepare recruits for scenarios such as de-escalation, Taser use and other stressful interactions.

“It’s filmed with live actors acting out scenarios. And we have a lot of content there focused on a wide range of topics, from mental health to people experiencing drug overdoses or dealing with domestic violence,” said Thi Luu, vice president and general manager of Axon Virtual Reality.

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In Aurora, Colorado, police recruits train with VR to prepare for real-life scenarios including de-escalation, Taser use and other stressful interactions. (Kennedy Hayes/FOX News)

The Aurora Police Department has been using Axon’s virtual reality training program for three years. Officials say the technology is becoming more sophisticated and easier to use, freeing up other resources.

“It really helps in terms of manpower for my staff, the training staff, if we can have 10 or 15 recruits all running the exact same scenario at the same time. That means we’re getting the most out of our training hours and having well-trained, well-trained officers is really important,” said Aurora Police Sgt. Believe Goodrich.

Axon said the artificial intelligence in its latest training program can adjust how virtual suspects behave – making them friendly, aggressive or something in between. They can answer questions, talk back or even refuse to cooperate, just like in real life.

Each session is different depending on how officers handle the situation.

Police recruits interact with virtual reality to hone their skills. (Kennedy Hayes/FOX News)

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A PwC study found that virtual reality can accelerate officer training and increase confidence in applying new skills compared to classroom-trained counterparts.

According to the study, VR students showed a four times faster training rate and a 275% increase in confidence in applying learned skills compared to their classroom counterparts.