Albemarle County implements virtual reality into police training program

During a period of scrutiny over how police handle certain emergency calls, the Albemarle County Police Department is reimagining its training program. The Albemarle County police department is using modern VR technology from Apex Officer to help officers prepare for all kinds of situations, scenarios, and incidents.

"We really wanted a way to enhance our training at the county police department and kind of be a level above any other agency in Virginia," said ACPD Lieutenant Tripp Martin.

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Virginia Police Officers Can Now Train with Virtual Reality

ACPD is the only agency in the state using the Apex Officer virtual reality simulator in its training program. While wearing the VR head-mounted display (HMD), ACPD officers can do target practice and experience simulations that mimic real-life situations. The department said it helps police train in de-escalation and decision-making during high-stress scenarios.

"I think it just gives us a little bit of an edge on training as far as putting us in real-life scenarios in a safe environment, and we're able to provide feedback to officers on how they responded in each scenario," Martin said.

And Apex Officer is a cost-effective training platform. Martin said the agency can use the simulator whenever it wants, and it doesn't have to pay for off-site training or extra ammunition.

Thanks to a generous donation by the Albemarle County Police Foundation, ACPD was able to afford and implement this groundbreaking simulator. Without the support of generous foundations, these new training opportunities wouldn't be possible.

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