PORTSMOUTH, Va. — When it comes to keeping communities safe, police officers want to be prepared for any scenario.
The Portsmouth Police Department is using virtual reality technology to make sure local law enforcement is ready to handle difficult situations.
It's a different approach to police training.
"It's important that our training is as real as possible," said Lt. Scott Blystone of the Portsmouth Police Department.
They're using virtual reality to get ready for the job. The department started using the technology about a year ago, but so far, only some of its staff use it. Soon, the tool will become part of every officer's training in the department.
"VR allows us to put headsets on people and create realistic environments where the officers have to go and make choices without the consequences of certain actions," said Blystone.
At a cost of more than $2,000 per headset, a room can transform into the site of an emergency call. The scenarios are wide-ranging, from traffic stops to a person experiencing a mental health crisis, and encounters that may call for the use of force.
After every scenario, officers talk it over with instructors to make sure their actions line up with their policies.
"We want to make sure our officers go through all the scenarios and react to those scenarios just like they would in the public. We want them to train the way they will act in real life," said Blystone.
The department is also allowing people in its Citizen's Academy to try it out, and they're hoping this technology will help them keep the community safe.
Blystone said other cities in the region are using this kind of technology.
He said they're waiting on upgrades before introducing the training to the entire department this year.