PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department is looking to new advances from Axon, a Scottsdale-based company, to better prepare officers for real-life circumstances that occur daily on the job.
Virtual Reality simulators will be another element police can use to not only exercise muscle memory but to put themselves in the shoes of suspects and victims on the other end of emergency calls.
The hope is that the department will be able to better protect and serve the greater Phoenix community with 65 different kits, to deescalate situations that surface in the future.
Axon has developed a creative way for police to play out scenarios from all perspectives through virtual reality training.
Information provided by Axon Representatives shows, that the VR Training platform is made up of three core components including a range of different training scenarios focusing on community engagement, taser skills and de-escalation techniques.
Chief Jeri Williams said this technology will allow officers to adjust their reactions and responses to realistic calls.
"Everything from domestic violence to mental health, to behavioral health, you name it, our officers are getting world-class training," she said.
Chris Chin with Axon added that 250 specialists helped curate the dynamic situations, where trainees can simulate the officer, the suspect, or the victim in any case.
"We try to purposefully build scenarios that are representative so that officers can build situational awareness, they can understand how to communicate better, they can make better decisions, and it's really to help create a better outcome for the community," he explained.
Mayor Kate Gallego spoke about the effectiveness of VR. Axon and said the 5-15 minute training can be learned and retained more readily than even standard training.
"It is a really powerful tool and we hope it gives our officers more confidence because they don't know what's going to happen when they knock on a door," Mayor Gallego said.
Axon also provided specific details from a recent study:
"The National League of Cities looked at a 90-day period where more than 85 officers at Phoenix PD's South Mountain Precinct went through nine of Axon's Community Engagement Modules in VR. The study found that 81.4% of participants said that at least one of the VR training modules was effective in preparing them to adapt their approach to a call."
Ultimately, city leaders say, the VR training is cost-effective, fast, and limitless, allowing officers to constantly work on de-escalation skills.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.