LOWELL — The more than 230 sworn police officers of the Lowell Police Department will now undergo even more realistic and immersive training in de-escalation, firearms, and tactics, thanks to an upgraded virtual reality training machine installed in the Lowell Police Department Training Institute.
The new VirTra-300 4K Virtual Reality Simulator includes incredibly high-resolution visuals, surround sound, and improved realism for officers who train throughout the year to sharpen their skills in a variety of areas. The simulator provides 300 degrees worth of virtual reality screens in which officers train for de-escalation, firearms, and other tactics that improve officer safety and effectiveness.
The simulator, which was paid for using funding from the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program, was demonstrated during a site visit by representatives of the Massachusetts Office of Grants and Research (OGR), so the state officials could experience its realism for themselves.
Three veteran police officers — Officer Anthony Webb, Officer Jose Lorenzi, and Officer David Couture — are assigned full-time to the Training Division where they operate the simulator and support a range of training programs to train other officers to be as effective as possible.
The V-300 simulator includes five large screens that provide a 300-degree immersive training environment. The V-300 recreates physiological stressors such as an elevated heart rate and high levels of adrenaline that officers experience during an intense incident.
The simulator offers training modules with multiple scenarios and outcomes based on how participants interact and respond. Officers may train in a variety of virtual locations, such as movie theaters, courthouses, or even schools.
Training modules cover a range of complex situations, including dealing with mental health crises, autism awareness, dealing with aggressive dogs, and responding to active shooter incidents.
The expansion of the Lowell Police Training Institute was made several years ago, and now the enhanced VirTra-300 simulator has further improved the level of training that all Lowell Police officers receive.
“We train every day to be ready for what our officers will face on the streets,” said Superintendent Greg Hudon. “Training prepares us mentally, emotionally, and physically to face a variety of calls that officers may encounter. It builds muscle memory and tactics that reinforce the training we deliver to our officers. We are pleased to deploy this new simulator to improve our training even more, and we are grateful to the Commonwealth and OGR for supporting our efforts with grant funding.”
“The BYRNE SCIP grant equips law enforcement agencies with resources to prevent gun violence in communities throughout the Commonwealth. Funded projects like the Lowell Police Department’s immersive training initiative will help officers develop and maintain the skills necessary to intervene and de-escalate dangerous encounters, improving the safety of both officers and community members,” said OGR Executive Director Kevin Stanton.
To learn more about the VirTra-300 Virtual Reality Simulator, click here.
Discover more from John Guilfoil Public Relations
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.