Portage Department of Public Safety Police Division launches virtual reality training - WKZO

PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The Portage Department of Public Safety’s Police Division has added a virtual trainer to their ranks.

The section launched and immersive virtual world grooming programme called “Apex Officer” connected Tuesday, December 13.

According to the department, the programme aims to hole officers for real-world scenarios successful a harmless and controlled environment.  “Apex Officer” volition let trainees to spell done assorted scenarios utilizing existent firearms and instrumentality modified specifically for virtual reality.

“In a clip erstwhile instrumentality enforcement officers are receiving much scrutiny than ever owed to high-profile incidents of constabulary usage of force, we looked astatine however we could reimagine our grooming programme to amended hole officers for those types of conditions,” said Public Safety Director Nicholas Armold.

Scenarios see grooming successful de-escalation, situation intervention, work to intervene, progressive shooter events on with others.  The section says arsenic existent officers are already grooming with the strategy arsenic clip permits, caller officers are expected to person “Apex Officer” grooming arsenic portion of their onboarding.

Portage Department of Public Saftey Training Sergeant Michael Collier, who is heading up the caller grooming system, stated, “The flexibility that Apex Officer provides volition alteration america to create, successful a harmless VR environment, situations that officers volition look successful existent life.”