The Potential of Virtual Reality for Police Training Under Stress

Abstract

To prepare for critical incidents on duty, police officers need to acquire the skills and tactics in realistic environments so that they transfer to high-stress circumstances. To bridge the gap between empirical research and applied practice, the present chapter informs about training concepts within the ecological dynamics framework that effectively promotes performance under stress. Specifically, scenario-based police training is critically discussed by identifying research gaps and challenges in the current practice. Virtual reality (VR) is introduced as a promising tool to overcome these challenges in police training and research. The aim of the present chapter is to inform, update, and improve researchers', police trainers', and curriculum developers' knowledge of VR as a tool to address the need for representative stress training while acknowledging its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.