GIlford PD first in state to train on new virtual reality system

GILFORD — The Gilford Police Department is the first in the state to purchase a new virtual reality training system. The system consists of a headset, wrist mounts and even replica weapons including a handgun and a taser, allowing officers to practice use-of-force techniques and marksmanship in a virtual environment.

The system operates in a manner nearly identical to modern VR gaming setups, and its mechanics draw from a variety of gaming genres, including first person shooters and role-playing, as demonstrated on Tuesday afternoon.

Tables and chairs were pushed aside in one of the town hall meeting rooms to clear the field for Officer Adam Batstone, who was wearing the set. Batstone's eyes and nose were covered, accompanied by a pair of bracelets that tracked the position of each of his fingers and the mock weapons on his belt.

A television in the corner of the room displayed what Batstone was seeing in the virtual world while a representative from Axon, creator of the system, controlled the program with a tablet.

Axon is commonly known for their tasers, but in recent years has also moved into the body camera and now virtual reality training industry, and is using its tight relationship with law enforcement to market this new system.

Batstone found himself standing in a virtual empty room as the "3... 2... 1..." flashed across the screen. After the countdown was complete, Batstone was transported to a virtual street where a digital man and woman were having a fight. The woman had the upper hand, and was punching the man as he crouched and tried to protect his face.

“Ma'am, stop what you're doing right now or you're going to get tased,” Batstone said, drawing his practice taser.

Despite Batstone's warning, the virtual woman continued. Batstone fired his taser, sending her sprawling on her back to the pavement.

“Sir, are you OK?" Batstone asked. As soon as the officer finished his question, the man pulled out a knife and repeatedly stabbed the woman lying on the ground.

There was a quick and quiet “Oh” that escaped Batstone's lips before the rest of the officers in the room burst out laughing at the surprising turn of events.

The scenario was one of several available in the system. Each one can be modified by an instructor who controls specific aspects, such as the appearance of characters or the environment. Characters' race, sex and clothing can be modified, and different scenarios can dictate how they react to an officer's movements.

After an officer completes a scenario, it can be reviewed and replayed frame by frame to allow for feedback. According to Axon's marketing materials, officers can learn up to four times faster in virtual reality training over a classroom setting due to the immersive, hands-on nature of the program. Part of that immersion is not only the creation of realistic environments like apartments or city streets, but also realistic interactions with characters.

Another scenario placed Batstone in an alleyway with a man walking toward him with an object in his hand. When Batstone drew his weapon and pointed it at the character, he stopped in his tracks, raised his arms and dropped a water bottle on the digital pavement.

Although the digital characters can react to weapons being pointed at them or even surprise officers, they lack the ability to understand verbal commands. Such capabilities may be available in the future, but the system has other types of scenarios focused on words, not handguns or tasers, to solve problems.

The more social- and verbal-oriented exercises appear in the system's "community engagement" mode, with scripted videos using actors. These were described by Capt. Dustin Parent of the Gilford Police Department, who also pointed out that Gilford is the first department in the state to purchase the system.

“The officer observes or witnesses some type of engagement or interaction and, for example, a box with five options that the officer can choose from,” Parent explained. Different scenes will play out depending on which option is selected by the officer. The method is highly similar to game mechanics found in popular role-playing games like Mass Effect or Fallout, where selecting different dialogue options while conversing with another character can change the story's outcome. As time progresses, Axon will create and release more scenarios for the department to practice with.

After running through a few more exercises, Batstone removed the helmet, weapons and bracelets so another officer could experience the system.

“It definitely takes some adjustment,” Batstone said, saying it was the first time he had tried any form of virtual reality. “I think this is going to be invaluable. Even just transitioning between lethal, less lethal, using your verbalization, all that kind of stuff, it's going to be awesome.”

Parent commended the budget-saving aspects of the system.

“It's not a substitute for reality-based training, but it's a close second and allows us to get around our budget, time and staffing restraints,” Parent said.

The system takes less time, space and personnel to operate than traditional training, and saves the department money on resources like bullets, range time and taser cartridges. According to Gizmodo.com, the system clocks in at about $3,790.

"This is going to give our officers more repetitions, allow them to see situations and scenarios they may face on the road now instead of trying to figure out what they're going to do in a split second,” Parent said. “Now, maybe they've seen that picture and it's going to allow them to make better decisions, allow them to deescalate prior to going to the force that might be necessary to do their jobs.

"Hopefully it keeps them safer and the community safer.”