Springfield police debut new virtual reality training headsets

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – The Springfield Police Department is training officers with virtual reality headsets to better prepare them for situations on the street.

Officials unveiled the technology at an event on Wednesday. The VR program takes users through a variety of scenarios, including interactions with people suffering from mental health issues or cognitive impairments.

“Depending on your decisions, it escalates or de-escalates,” said Joseph Otranto of Axon Roadshow. “So if you make a right decision that de-escalates a situation, of course it will be easier to deal with, but if you make the decision that isn't the most effective, you can go back there and it will basically give you something.” some feedback, and then you can figure out if maybe we should try a different approach.”

The program asks users to decide how they want to respond at different points in each session.

“It is very close to a real-world scenario in a controlled environment and allows officers to experience different situations they are likely to encounter on the street,” Lt. Dustin Martin of the Springfield Police Department.

All cadets who go through the SPD police academy use this VR equipment. Officials who are already on staff also use it as part of their ongoing training programs.

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