Hoffman Estates police tap into virtual reality for realistic, on-demand training

Strapping on a headset of the Hoffman Estates Police Department’s new virtual-reality training simulator can get so real it causes a user’s blood pressure to rise and breathing to escalate.

That’s because officers training with the device are immersed in the risky traffic stops, domestic abuse reports, active shooters and mental distress calls they have long been warned can escalate quickly and dangerously.

“Now we have a way of having them actually see it,” Hoffman Estates Officer Grant Mullin said of the Axon VR system, for which he’s become one of the department’s trainers. “It’s just another tool we’re able to use.”

Tactical Sgt. Phil Giacone said training has always been especially important in Hoffman Estates, where officers may undergo two or three times as much as those in other departments. The new technology allows them to train individually or have three officers work together on a task such as clearing a room.

“What’s the cost of making a bad decision?” he said of the investment’s value. “It’s been really refreshing in our training unit.”

Deputy Police Chief of Technical Services Jim Thomas spent about a year researching the opportunity to make the Axon VR system something officers can train on intensively and members of the public can use to better learn about the quick decisions those in law enforcement must make.

“Part of my job is to look to the future of this department,” Thomas said. “We have gone through some growing pains with technology, but you put in your due diligence.”

Arizona-based Axon first made a name for itself as the developer of the taser, but has now diversified into a wide array of law-enforcement technologies. This includes the body-worn cameras Hoffman Estates was also among the first to use locally ahead of a state mandate taking effect.

The VR system was offered as a value-add component in the department’s current five-year contract for Axon services.

“Our relationship with them has been fantastic,” Thomas said.

Another important component is the strong support the police department receives from the village administration and village board, he added.

“We want our officers to be highly trained, and the Axon program provides quality on-demand training we can access at any time,” Hoffman Estates Village Manager Eric Palm said. “We want to provide them as many training opportunities as we can.”

Palm said the add-on cost of the VR system is about $18,873 per year, which breaks down to a monthly cost of about $23.83 per officer.

Thomas said residents will have the opportunity to sample the system at open houses, the Citizens Police Academy and through the upcoming National Night Out.

Though the VR helps with officers’ training of when and how to use a handgun and taser, it won’t replace the shooting range where officers deal with a weapon’s recoil when fired, Giacone said.

However, the VR system could eventually be upgraded with gear that would simulate the recoil. Giacone said all aspects of the virtual scenarios will continue to improve over time.

Giacone noted the system was a hit even among the most technology-averse, including his own dad who tried it out.

“Everyone loves it!” he said.