The city of tallahassee will use FY24 safer outcomes funding to integrate virtual reality with traditional training offered to officers within the tallahassee police department

The City of Tallahassee was awarded a $350,000 Project Grant by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services under the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants (CFDA 16.710) program. The grant funding will be used to integrate virtual reality (VR) technology into the training program for the Tallahassee Police Department. This will allow officers to experience a wider range of scenario-based interactions and gain the ability to replay situations from different perspectives, better preparing them for real-life encounters that require rapid problem-solving and de-escalation techniques. In addition, the VR system will be used for educational demonstrations to provide citizens with insights into the decision-making process of officers, fostering greater understanding and trust between law enforcement and the community. The project period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.

Officers can experience a wider range of scenario-based interactions as well as having the ability to replay the scenario from the perspective of the individual needing assistance.by augmenting existing training efforts with scenario based virtual reality and providing officers with the ability to look, speak, and move in a 3D setting, they will be better prepared for a variety of real-life scenarios where unanticipated behaviors require quick problem-solving techniques to gain voluntary compliance and DE-escalate encounters with individuals in crisis. In addition to officer training, the use of virtual reality systems during educational demonstrations will provide an opportunity for citizens to gain insight into the rapid decision-making process required of officers in the field. This transparency fosters a greater understanding and trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.