The Fayetteville Police Department in North Carolina plans to use virtual reality goggles to train officers for mental health crisis calls. The training is part of a council-approved, $17.3 million, 75-month agreement with Axon Enterprise, which covers a wider technology upgrade for the department.
Officers use the goggles to talk through a scenario based on what they see on screen, and they are evaluated on how they respond. Chief of Police Roberto Bryan Jr. describes the goggles as a training mechanism for situations in which officers deal with a mental crisis.
Wider upgrade
The VR training sits inside a larger package. The agreement also covers a new Drone as First Responder program, expanded FAA training for drone pilots, and investments in software and equipment. The $17.3 million figure covers this whole package, not the VR training alone.
Timing
The new technology is expected to launch in 2027, so the VR training is recorded as announced rather than in operation. The report gives no details on how many officers will train, which headset will be used or what results are expected.
