Marin County Sheriff's Office Adds VR Training Tool

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Deescalating a crisis in the real world is hard.

The Marin County Sheriff’s Office is hoping training in a virtual environment will make it a little easier.

The Sheriff’s Office has added a new virtual training tool that aims to prepare deputies for interaction with people in crisis who may be experiencing mental illness or physical disabilities.

The virtual training program includes modules for people suffering from schizophrenia, dementia or autism or who may be suicidal.

“Virtual reality offers a medium between the classroom and traditional reality-based training,” Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Brovelli told Patch.

“Using virtual reality also allows us to break away from using the same physical locations for training as each scenario has its environment individual to that training module.”

The Sheriff’s Office is using a virtual training developed by Axon.

The technology provides officers with an immersive experience in which responding officers can put themselves in the shoes of a person in crisis, the company said.

Around 20 percent of the population will experience some form of mental illness during any given year according to the National Institute of Mental Health, Axon said in a news release announcing the launch of its suicide empathy virtual training tool.

Of the 992 deadly police shootings in 2018, 213 fatally shot suffered from a mental illness, the law enforcement technology company said.

The company believes the virtual training program will help lead to better outcomes

Axon's VR training is designed to address these statistics head-on.

"This program was designed to help officers develop empathy and confidence in their work as first responders for individuals in crisis," Axon Sr. Director of Training Laura Brown said in a statement.

"We are proud to support officers who are too frequently the last line of hope for individuals experiencing suicidal ideations."

The Sheriff’s Office believes the training makes deputies better equipped to handle crisis environments, Brovelli said.

“VR education can transform the way educational content is delivered and allows us not only see it but also interact with it,” Brovelli said.

“Constant training improves officer conduct but also greatly develop their interpersonal skills throughout the department by improving competence, communications, and confidence.

“The idea focuses on moving the department forward with a foundation of loyalties in its staff and officers.”