The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Application for Virtual Reality De-escalation Training

To advance officer skills in gaining peaceful resolutions and strengthening trust in the community, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (Agency) will develop a virtual reality de-escalation training program using the Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics (ICAT) training curriculum. The training will be provided to the 2,000 sworn officers of the Port Authority Police Department. The virtual reality training platform will supplement the ICAT training currently offered and will be customizable, fully immersive, multiparticipant, and include the mapping of unique Agency sites, such as the George Washington Bridge. Trainees will be tracked and continuously evaluated based on their responses to the virtual reality scenarios.

The Port Authority is an excellent testbed for this new technology, given that the highly traveled transportation infrastructure is used by hundreds of millions of people per year. Further, Agency infrastructure, such as bridges, train stations, bus stations, and airports, attract individuals who have mental health disorders and/or may be experiencing behavioral or emotional crises. The Port Authority Police Department believes that what is learned in this project can build more confident and effective police officers, benefitting both the Agency and the community.