Police Training Research Articles

Insights into Building VR Solutions in the Police Domain

Advanced technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) hold immense significance for society, particularly in the law enforcement domain. VR offers a unique platform for immersive, experiential learning, allowing Police Officers (POs) to engage with dynamic scenarios that mirror real-world situations, incidents, and challenges. In the Police domain, the integration of VR solutions provides valuable insights into enhancing POs’ training, situational awareness, and community relations. Learning objectives in VR-based Police training encompass a spectrum of skills, including decision-making under pressure, effective communication and collaboration, and de-escalation techniques. Furthermore, evaluation perspectives span both quantitative and qualitative measures, assessing training efficacy, officer performance, and societal impact. This research adopts a systematic literature review approach where it becomes evident that the future of VR-enabled policing lies in interdisciplinary collaboration, technological innovation, and ethical considerations. Future directions entail refining VR solutions to reflect evolving societal dynamics, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) for adaptive scenario generation and analytics, and addressing concerns related to algorithmic transparency, fairness, security, and privacy. By leveraging VR technologies, law enforcement agencies can enhance operational effectiveness and foster trust, accountability, and responsibility within the communities they serve.

Collaborative Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) training for Australian military and civilian police: an overview of Exercise Zeus

ABSTRACT Civilian and military police forensic practitioners are periodically tasked with responding to mass fatality incidents and disasters. A key component of these responses is comprehensive pre-deployment preparation by first responders. Although collaboration is often necessary in the field, training is often organization- or sector-specific. In response to recent recognition of the potential benefits of collaboration between military police and civilian police, this commentary documents a collaborative training exercise undertaken at a taphonomic facility by Australian civilian and military police forensic practitioners, along with other forensic specialists. It discusses the rationale for collaborative training and some of the potential benefits of such exercises. The article concludes with some suggestions for consideration to further strengthen future training opportunities.

ESTRATÉGIAS PARA A REGULARIZAÇÃO DOS CONCURSOS NA POLÍCIA MILITAR DO PARANÁ: ANÁLISE DOS IMPACTOS ORÇAMENTÁRIOS E ADMINISTRATIVOS

This study analyzes strategies for regularizing recruitment competitions for military police personnel in the Paraná State Military Police (PMPR) and the ensuing budgetary and administrative impacts due to the current irregularity of these competitions. The central aim is to identify the difficulties faced by the PMPR and the state government caused by the discontinuity of these recruitments, which result in budgetary and logistical planning issues. The research utilizes data from the Personnel Directorate, the Recruitment and Selection Center of the PMPR, and relevant legislation to quantify the financial and human impact resulting from the sporadic nature of the competitions, evidenced by a 32% deficit in the projected personnel. Four competitions between 2005 and 2020 were analyzed, exploring recruitment challenges, including the overload of Police Training Schools and sporadic selection processes. The results suggest that an annual competition policy could enhance the quality of candidate selection and facilitate better financial and logistical planning, ensuring a perennial and efficient replenishment of personnel. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a regularization strategy to minimize the administrative and budgetary impacts and improve the operational capacity of the Military Police, thereby promoting greater public safety and efficiency in the services provided.

Gender system in the National Police of Ukraine

The article offers a thorough analysis of the influence of a gender approach on special physical training within the National Police of Ukraine, highlighting its significance as a crucial component of law enforcement officers’ professional development. The author underscores the necessity of integrating gender equality principles into physical training processes, aligning with international standards to enhance the effectiveness of police officers. Key aspects of developing tailored curricula that consider the physical and psychophysiological traits of different genders are examined. The analysis also emphasizes the importance of gender-oriented approaches, including mentoring initiatives and the establishment of an educational environment that ensures equal opportunities for both men and women. Special focus is given to exploring international best practices in gender mainstreaming within police training and the potential for adapting successful strategies from other countries to the Ukrainian context, while being mindful of national and cultural specificities. Additionally, the author evaluates the role of innovative technologies and psychological support in optimizing special physical training. Modern methodologies aimed at enhancing the quality of education and training for police officers, particularly in high-stress situations and under significant physical demands, are discussed. Furthermore, the article identifies the main challenges the National Police of Ukraine faces in implementing gender approaches in the special physical training system, along with the future prospects for this initiative, particularly regarding the enhancement of police officers’ professional competencies and the strengthening of the National Police’s image as a modern and effective organization.

Investigating the Adoption of Virtual Libraries by Police Academies in Indonesia: An Enhanced TAM Model Aligned with the SDGs

The evolution of digital technology has changed the educational landscape, with virtual libraries becoming essential in the modern learning environment. The study investigates the adoption of virtual libraries among Indonesian police academies, where cadets need access to resources that support theoretical and practical training needs. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between perception of ease of use (PEOU), perception of usability (PU), external aspiration (EA), and alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 in shaping cadets' intentions to use virtual libraries. Using an enhanced Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) framework, this quantitative study analyzed data from 140 cadets through structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect pathways of adoption intent. The findings revealed that PU significantly influenced adoption intentions, while PEOUs played a smaller role, suggesting that cadets prioritized the practical benefits of virtual libraries. However, neither the PU nor the PEOU mediates the relationship between EA, SDG alignment, and adoption intent, which suggests that external aspirations and SDG alignment alone are not enough to encourage cadet adoption in the absence of perceived direct benefits. These findings highlight the complex nature of technology adoption in special education settings, which emphasizes the need for tailored resources aligned with the cadet's operational and academic goals. The study contributes to the TAM literature by combining sustainability and aspiration dimensions, which offers insights for academy administrators and policymakers to improve the relevance of virtual libraries. To encourage adoption, the study recommends designing content that addresses cadet-specific training needs. Future research may explore the role of institutional support and longitudinal assessments to capture evolving perceptions of virtual libraries, further informing sustainable practices in police training.

Exploration of a virtual reality exercise to help train police with responding to mental health crises in the community.

A substantial number of police-citizen interactions involve a civilian presenting in a mental health crisis, often with law enforcement as the first point of contact. Traditional training methods offer minimal opportunity for police to practice navigating such civilian interactions or to develop and strengthen relevant skills. Virtual reality (VR) offers a promising avenue for addressing this gap by immersing police officers in realistic, controlled environments that could help them to acclimatise to these encounters and understand their own reactions to them. To examine the extent to which law enforcement officers become immersed in a virtual training environment (VTE), to assess their empathy and sympathy towards a non-player character (NPC) presenting with schizophrenic psychosis and how empathy and sympathy relate to virtual immersion. Forty police officers-about a fifth of the department approached-participated in a VR mental health training scenario. Officers' immersion in the VTE was assessed using a 28-item Presence Questionnaire and their empathy and sympathy were measured using adapted standard scales. The study employed Fisher's Exact Test and Spearman's correlation to analyse the relationships between immersion, empathy and sympathy. Most officers experienced good levels of immersion, although nearly half felt confused or disoriented at the beginning of the session. Officers reported moderate levels of sympathy and higher empathy towards a non-player character. Significant correlations were found between specific aspects of immersion (e.g. sensory engagement) and empathy. Fisher's Exact Test revealed strong associations between physical interactions in the VTE and empathy/sympathy. Our findings show that police are willing and able to engage in a VR exercise to learn about their response to people in a mental health crisis and that, in such circumstances, they can be both sympathetic and empathic. Next steps will be exploration of the value of such a tool to enhance real-life responding.

Militarized policing in the hinterlands: A Blackwater training ground and the cultural conceptions of security

AbstractResearch in recent decades shows that private military and security contractors have reshaped the tenor and reach of US military power abroad while also accelerating the militarization of domestic policing. Previous work on militarized policing has primarily centered on urban environments. This article examines Blackwater North, a facility in a rural Illinois community, which provided privatized, militarized police training from 2007 through 2010. Drawing from newspaper accounts, government records, and ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the community after the facility's closure, I analyze residents’ recollections of the local support of and opposition to Blackwater North. I argue that local supporters promoted a culture of perpetual preparedness that positioned militarized policing as a rational form of harm reduction, as well as one that could yield economic benefits to struggling host communities. I also examine the opposition and analyze the insider/outsider divides that emerged within the debate surrounding Blackwater North. At stake for both supporters and opponents were differing cultural conceptions of what increases, and what erodes, security. This case study focuses on rural spaces’ role in the landscape of militarized policing and illuminates the cultural processes by which privatized military power and militarized policing become accepted and resisted at the community level.

“We're tired of this Weber guy!”—Force experts, police reforms, and the violence of standardization

AbstractSince the mid‐2000s, the use‐of‐force continuum—a global standard for providing law enforcement with guidelines on the proportionate use of force—has been central in Turkish police training and reporting practices. Liberal police accountability tools, like the use‐of‐force continuum, rely on standardization to prevent police violence. Yet these techniques still result in maimed bodies and psyches and police impunity. Rather than taking the standardization of police force simply as a failed project, a sham, or a mere techno‐fix, I examine how powerful actors like police align with such standards and how they start thinking and acting through them while repurposing them. Drawing on 18 months of fieldwork between 2015 and 2017 among the Turkish National Police, I show how the transnational standardization of police force has in fact enabled police in Turkey to redefine and ultimately reclaim the violence they are professionalized in as what I call “force experts.” Force defies standardization in both theory and practice; however, what sanctions police violence now is not just technical standardization but the expert framing of the democratically reformed police force. This is the violence of standardization, especially in contexts where governments retool reforms to criminalize suspect Others whom they perceive as a “threat” to their rule.

POLICE RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING: ASSESSING THE IMPACT ON OFFICER BEHAVIOR AND CITIZEN COMPLAINTS IN NIGERIA

This study examines the impact of police recruitment and training practices on officer behavior and citizen complaints in Nigeria, identifying significant deficiencies that contribute to misconduct and public distrust. The research explores how inadequate recruitment standards, political interference, and insufficient training on ethics and community policing have undermined the professionalism of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Using an exploratory approach, the study analyzes literature reviews and secondary data from academic and governmental sources, comparing Nigeria’s practices with successful reforms in other African nations. Research indicates that the lack of a centralized background check system and inadequate training contribute to pervasive police misbehavior, as seen during the "End SARS" protests. Comparative analysis highlights best practices from countries like South Africa and Rwanda, where community-oriented policing and rigorous recruitment standards have improved public trust. The study concludes that reforming recruitment and training processes is crucial to promoting accountability and restoring public confidence in law enforcement. Key recommendations include establishing a centralized recruitment database, revamping training programs, and strengthening oversight mechanisms.

Advancing police-researcher collaboration and evidence-based policing: an evaluation of the applied criminology and data management course

ABSTRACT While the demand for evidence-based policing (EBP) has increased and researchers continue to generate important research findings, few targeted educational efforts have been made to nurture effective police-researcher collaboration and integrate EBP into police practice. The current study evaluates a 16-month-long Applied Criminology and Data Management Course (ACDC), which aimed to train police executives and early-career researchers to work together, produce EBP research, and disseminate their findings. Survey and observational data assess participant progress on four key Kirkpatrick evaluation model metrics: reaction, learning, behavior, and results. ACDC participants demonstrated satisfaction with the program and knowledge of skills required for effective collaboration and research. Most notably, they demonstrated application of skills through applied research and dissemination of results. Participants proved committed to advancing EBP via trainings to police executives and community stakeholders, publications, presentations, promotions to various relevant positions, and secured grant funding. Overall, these preliminary results suggest that ACDC can serve as a successful and feasible model for advancing EBP.

The importance of historically reflexive critical thinking for police education: United States criminal justice and the brutalization of African Americans

Abstract The value of college education for US police officers has been contemplated since at least the 1920’s, yet the importance of critical thinking has only recently attracted scholarly attention. Modern police training is frequently led by experienced former practitioners; however, as “insiders” they may be less likely to critically evaluate the role police play, and have played, in maintaining unjust and discriminatory systems, particularly for African Americans. This article considers existing scholarship on police training and education, highlighting and demonstrating the importance of historically reflexive critical thinking.

Current issues of conducting classes on fire training of police officers under martial law

The article addresses pertinent issues related to conducting firearms training sessions for police officers in conditions of a state of war. The authors analyze significant aspects of this activity, including teaching methods and techniques, personnel training specifics, as well as challenges and threats that may arise during armed conflicts. The main focus is on practical recommendations aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of police training for operating in conditions of a state of war. The article analyzes changes and modifications in the methodology of teaching and studying fire training in institutions of higher education with specific conditions of study, subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine under martial law, which would take into account all aspects of the application and use of firearms and ensure high- quality training of students of higher education for actions in stressful and dangerous situations. The authors explore the practical-tactical possibilities of conducting firearms training sessions, comparing them with regulated and recommended regulatory acts. It is established that existing methods do not correspond to the real conditions of firearms application. Special attention is given to the issues of modern methods of firearms usage and changes in teaching methodology to increase proficiency. Features and methods of teaching fire training in higher education institutions with specific training conditions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine are outlined, as well as innovations in this field of training are indicated. A separate view is focused on the need for modern material and technical support, since the solution to the problem of police training requires a comprehensive approach, which includes the provision of the necessary resources for conducting specialized classes, both in closed rooms and on appropriately equipped modern training grounds, and support in the development of professional skills. Also, the authors emphasize the need to improve the legal training of personnel to provide them with a clear understanding of the laws and regulations related to the use of weapons.

Instructors’ challenges facilitating mental health first aid training with law enforcement

ABSTRACT Following highly publicized incidents of police responses to individuals with a mental illness, policing executives attempt to placate public outcry by mandating mental health training. However, police training curriculums are not well-evaluated, especially pertaining to implementation challenges that may arise. Using interviews with certified Mental Health First Aid instructors (n = 18), this study explores challenges experienced when implementing and facilitating the training with law enforcement officers (LEOs). Thematic analysis identified four themes: 1) In general, LEOs are a difficult group to train; 2) LEOs and their agencies often have different expectations for training compared to other populations; 3) instructors must be knowledgeable surrounding LEO-specific state and local policies surrounding mental health responses; and 4) instructors lacking credibility with the LEO audience may find facilitating the training to be more challenging. Findings highlight the importance of carefully selecting both instructors and training participants when implementing mental health training.

Evaluating integrated training for juvenile criminal justice system at the national police education and training center

Evaluating integrated training for juvenile criminal justice system at the national police education and training center

Changes in Personality and Hardiness over the Course of Police Training

Changes in Personality and Hardiness over the Course of Police Training

An evaluation of Barnardo’s trauma-informed policing training

This paper presents an evaluation of Trauma-Informed (TI) training for police officers in the West Midlands Police from November 2022 to February 2023. The West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership has commissioned and delivered bespoke TI training since 2020, which aimed to deepen the understanding of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma within the Police and, in turn, to create meaningful changes in everyday policing practice. Pre- and post-training surveys were conducted with 230 frontline officers and new recruits, as well as semi-structured interviews with 14 police officers and sergeants. Statistically significant improvements were found across all seven factors measured by the Trauma Aware Policing Attitudinal Survey (TAPAS). These findings indicate the efficacy of the training in improving police officers’ knowledge, responses, behaviours, self-efficacy, reactions to work, and personal and system-wide support for trauma-informed care. The qualitative results indicate a positive influence of the TI training on police practice overall. However, the quantitative data have limitations in drawing conclusions regarding long-term knowledge retention and the integration of trauma-informed practices, as well as the lack of robustness of the TAPAS tool. This highlights the necessity for further efforts to assess TI attitudes and providing TI training to police officers and senior management, promoting ongoing professional development and the wider implementation of trauma-informed approaches.

A prospective study of health-related lifestyle changes among police cadets

The objectives of this prospective study were to explore the health-related lifestyle of police cadets and assess changes in their health behaviors following entry into the police force. To do so, 190 police cadets completed an online questionnaire assessing their physical activity level, sedentary behaviors, diet quality, sleep hygiene, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and stress level. One year following their graduation from the police training program, participants were invited to, once again, complete the questionnaire. Our results suggest that police cadets generally display healthy lifestyles, with very few cadets being physically inactive, smokers, reporting insufficient sleep duration, and displaying obesity. Nevertheless, paired-sample comparisons highlighted significant decreases in physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, sleep duration, and sleep quality at the follow-up. Likewise, significant increases in fast-food consumption and BMI were observed.

An Examination of Contagious Fire in Policing

The study reported on in the source article provides the first experimental evidence supporting the idea of “contagious fire” in policing (i.e., that officers are more likely to discharge their firearms and fire more rounds when exposed to gunfire from fellow officers). Officers exposed to simulated gunfire from peer officers were over 11 times more likely to fire their weapons compared to those not exposed. When officers did fire their weapons, those exposed to peer gunfire discharged approximately 72% more rounds than those not exposed. The timing of these shots also consistently occurred after peer officers began firing, confirming the “contagious” nature of the effect. These findings have significant implications for understanding multiple officer-involved shootings and highlight the need for targeted interventions in police training, tactics, and policies. The study underscores the importance of individual threat assessment and decision-making in multi-officer scenarios, even in the presence of auditory cues suggesting peer engagement.

Leveraging body-worn camera footage to assess the effects of training on officer communication during traffic stops.

Can training police officers on how to best interact with the public actually improve their interactions with community members? This has been a challenging question to answer. Interpersonal aspects of policing are consequential but largely invisible in administrative records commonly used for evaluation. In this study, we offer a solution: body-worn camera footage captures police-community interactions and how they might change as a function of training. Using this footage-as-data approach, we consider changes in officers' communication following procedural justice training in Oakland, CA, USA, one module of which sought to increase officer-communicated respect during traffic stops. We applied natural language processing tools and expert annotations of traffic stop recordings to detect whether officers enacted the five behaviors recommended in this module. Compared with recordings of stops that occurred prior to the training, we find that officers employed more of these techniques in posttraining stops; officers were more likely to express concern for drivers' safety, offer reassurance, and provide explicit reasons for the stop. These methods demonstrate the promise of a footage-as-data approach to capture and affect change in police-community interactions.

A comparison of recall methods for high-stress critical incidents in police training

Police officers often face critical incidents involving armed offenders, requiring the use of force to ensure safety. Eyewitness accounts, including those from officers, are crucial in the justice system but can be unreliable. Techniques such as self-authored statements and structured interviews are used to gather information, but their efficacy in high-stress situations is unclear. Previous research suggests that heightened arousal during memory encoding enhances recall, particularly for central details. This study compares recall methods (statements vs. interviews) for police officers in high-stress versus no-stress situations, focusing on central and peripheral event details. Officers participated in a simulated high-stress incident, providing memory data through both methods. Overall, no significant difference was found in memory scores between the techniques. However, analysis revealed significant differences favoring structured interviews for peripheral information. Recall that central information remained consistent across methods. These findings highlight the need for careful methodology when examining memories formed in stressful contexts.