DE-ESCALATION VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING (DeVRT) project is a technology enhancement focused on improving the officer's ability to respond to people in crisis through de-escalation skills.

The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) De-Escalation Virtual Reality Training (DeVRT) project is a technology enhancement proposal that focuses on improving the HPD’s ability to train how officers respond to people in crisis by improving officer de-escalation skills. The DeVRT project will build upon the HPD’s existing Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training provided to sworn officers and civilian staff. 

The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) intends to implement the DeVRT project upon award notification. The goal of this project is plan, develop, and implement a virtual reality site-based de-escalation training program to improve the safety of HPD officers and the community. Project objectives and activities are divided into two phases: the planning phase and implementation phase. Project activities within the planning phase include, partnering with a university research team to develop course content and scenarios, developing the curriculum, and purchasing virtual reality equipment. Project activities within the implementation phase include training implementation, data collection and assessment, and after-action review.