From NASA and medical schools, to Walmart, more and more organisations are turning to VR for training, as it’s highly effective and has unique capabilities to build empathy and teach soft skills. These are also vital for the ability to de-escalate situations – a core skill in policing. Robert Murphy, Senior Director of Virtual Reality at Axon details why VR is going to be the next big thing for in-work training.

• Investment in VR training is rising rapidly

• A substantial body of research shows that it works

• VR is uniquely suited to teach soft skills

• It's future (and Covid-19) compatible

• More about Axon's VR training modules

Investments in VR training is rising rapidly

Although VR is still more associated with gaming, VR training has a long history of training people in fields as diverse as medicine, space travel and the military. Investment in industrial VR applications has long outpaced the development of VR for entertainment. According to the XR Industry Insight, nearly twice as many companies are developing industrial AR (augmented reality) applications than are working on consumer products. A recent survey of IT decision-makers found that half of their companies were involved in developing VR applications. The same report expects worldwide spending on commercial virtual reality solutions to grow to $7.1 billion in 2020, up from $4.5 billion in 2019. 

Murphy says, ‘VR is sometimes seen as a gimmick, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s effectiveness for training has been well documented with a substantial body of research.’ This Price Waterhouse Coopers study, for example, found that ‘Users trained with VR were up to 275% more confident to act on what they learned after training—a 40% improvement over classroom and 35% improvement over e-learn.’ They also found that V-learners were 4 times more focused during training than their e-learning peers and felt 3.75 times more emotionally connected to the content than classroom learners.

There are now also the first meta-studies emerging, like this one on VR surgical simulators, confirming the effectiveness of using VR in professional training. 

These findings also hold up in real life: Walmart uses VR headsets to teach its employees how to operate its customer service facility, which has reduced the training time from eight hours to 15 minutes, with no drop in efficacy.

The more technology and artificial intelligence advance, the more we seem to tune into what makes us human. As a society, we increasingly realise the importance of soft skills, and the role empathy plays in pro-social behaviour. Now, neuroscientists have found that empathy is one of our core neurobiological competencies. And, what's more, this study proves that it's not fixed, but mutable and can be taught and enhanced.

Murphy says, 'Empathy is an important component of policing. We now understand a lot more about the positive effect building empathy has, especially when it comes to community engagement and relations. With homelessness and mental health conditions are on the rise, officers need to understand what a community is going through and VR is the perfect tool for it.'

This gives officers a deeper insight and better understanding of what kind of response is most likely to de-escalate the situation when faced with somebody who is behaving irrationally.

VR is uniquely suited to teach soft skills

'In policing today, there is a big emphasis on better communication,' says Murphy. ‘VR is a safe space to try out different responses and see how these affect the outcome, without actual negative consequences.'

You can also train how to respond, while being subjected to an intense sensory experience (rather than in an artificial training environment) developing soft skills through repetition. 'When the fight or flight mechanism kicks in,' says Murphy, 'you are not going to remember what you learnt on paper, so the right response needs to be drilled with realistic stressors until it becomes second nature.'

'It's limitless', says Murphy. 'With VR, you can put somebody on a bridge, or a rooftop, or outside somebody's home who is having a psychotic episode, so no expensive training setups are needed. In particular, police training traditionally involves role-play, often in scenarios that need various actors as well as an elaborate set up to be convincing.’

After the initial purchase, VR goggles are, of course, a lot more cost-effective than role play or classroom training, as they can be used over and over again with no additional cost. VR training also often only takes a fraction of the time, meaning fewer working hours are lost.

It's, of course, safe while there is a threat of Covid-19, but also has great potential for future applications. The pandemic has fast-tracked virtual developments and increased their acceptance, as employees and employers look for greater flexibility. 

There is also huge potential in this technology, and companies are looking into developing 3-dimensional training environments, where people can interact virtually.

Recognising the huge advantage of VR training for the police, Axon is currently offering three modules: Schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Suicidal Ideation, all incorporating the latest insights into these conditions.

Axon is releasing more modules: Hard of Hearing, Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) and Active Bystander. Murphy says, 'People who are hard of hearing can appear disobedient, and this module trains police officers in the subtle signs that show the difference. The PTSI module teaches police officers to spot the signs in themselves, members of the community as well as colleagues as well as advice on how to address it. Active Bystander, is a module on peer intervention, which teaches officers what they can do if they recognise that a colleague is heading down an unethical path. How do you step in at an appropriate time and prevent unnecessary harm?'

How are the VR training modules received? Murphy says, 'We had a lot of interest. We find young officers, who have grown up with technology are very receptive to these solutions. But experienced officers also find them useful, in particular, as there are a lot of new insights about mental health conditions and a better understanding of how best to address them. 

‘We work with eminent experts in this field and distilling the research into immersive 10-minute training modules can be a real challenge. We take our inspiration from video games, cinematic experiences, virtual experiences, first-person view documentaries and 360˚ video. We're also looking to take VR training a step further, with many more ideas and modules in development. One of the exciting things is that what you can do in VR is only limited by your imagination.'

ARTICLE: Six signs that VR is the future of in-work training

Six signs that VR is the future of in-work training

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NATIONAL POLICING DIGITAL STRATEGY

The UK’s National Policing Digital Strategy (NPDS) makes one thing very clear: the UK’s police forces will need to use digital technologies to respond to profound societal changes and maximise tight budgets. Mike Ashby-Clarke, Axon’s UK Country Manager and a former Metropolitan police officer, looks at how the strategy will shape policing across four areas:



1. OPTIMISING EFFICIENCY THROUGH DIGITAL TOOLS

The strategy strongly encourages police forces to engage more fully with the opportunities that digital technologies create, especially in two areas. The first is enabling police officers to work more efficiently. The second is to provide citizens with a seamless experience when contacting the police, aiming for a smooth interaction across multiple contact channels – e.g. mobile or web. The NPDS also calls for closer collaboration across the public sector to tackle complex public safety issues. 

There is a perception that public safety bodies can be slow to uptake new technology. But there are signs of change: most police forces are now moving away from on-premise technology to use cloud-based solutions that are easier to deploy and run and are more cost-efficient. This is, in part, down to the myth being dispelled that on-premise systems are more secure but it’s also in recognition of the fact that new technology, such as AI, needs the limitless power of cloud computing to deliver real efficiencies.

The need for tech ethics has come to the forefront in the last five to six years, and the NPDS has ethics high on the agenda. It is applying the same ethical approach, which is already entrenched in policing values, to digital technology. The question is, how are these safeguards implemented across 43 different forces and varying political agendas from the respective Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs)?

AI, in particular, is being used in new solutions. For example the use of AI to predict crimes, often termed predictive policing, have led to calls for more oversight and guidance.

The strategy seeks to strengthen the relationships between police forces and the private sector. We have seen national technology programmes, which aim to provide systems for all forces, fail in recent years. The reason for this is that it seems almost impossible to simultaneously satisfy the requirements of 43 different organisations – each with their individual challenges and goals – even when building a platform or solution from scratch. The private sector can provide a solution, having the skills to build, iterate and configure off-the-shelf products at pace and scale. The Met’s Body-Worn Video (BWV) programme is a good example. In just 12 months 22,000 cameras and 50,000 Digital Evidence Management System (DEMS) licences were deployed and all users trained.

The implementation of the strategy depends on individual PCCs, who are providing police funding. And while there is some pressure to implement the recommendations, a lack of resources may make this difficult. Due to budget cuts, many police forces have a backlog of more pressing demands that take precedence: for example, equipping all firearms officers with point-of-view video cameras, which is mandatory but not all forces currently comply with this requirement. Indeed, additional funding will be needed to help forces deploy new technology and take advantage of the promise this offers to improve crime-fighting and streamline workflows to allow police teams to spend less time on clerical work and more in their communities. 

The report emphasises that the private sector offers a great deal that can be used to help achieve the vision of the NPDS. The private sector can attract world-leading tech talent and afford to invest a substantial part of its profits in R&D. This just cannot be matched by public sector funding during times of contracting budgets. 

Since Peel set the tone for modern policing, the UK’s police forces have been highly regarded, especially given that the relative safety enjoyed by UK citizens is achieved by unarmed officers. Looking forward, we need to embrace innovation and consider the role that innovative technology can play to help the UK’s police force remain the leading light they’re seen to be.

ARTICLE: FOUR TAKEAWAYS FROM THE NATIONAL POLICING DIGITAL STRATEGY

Four takeaways from the National Policing Digital Strategy

Police officers are in the field in all weather and for long periods and, at times, their work will involve chasing people and physical confrontation. It follows that their equipment must be durable, comfortable, and unobtrusive to wear and seamlessly fit into their working lives. Achieving these goals requires an innovative product design and an obsession with seemingly small details. It’s the kind of work that Kevin Coles thrives on. He’s a product designer, who has been devising and manufacturing the accessories and mounts for Axon products used by the country’s police forces. Here he gives five observations on what most influences his team’s work. 

Each piece of equipment and accessory has to perfectly mould into police officers’ lives. This means, for example, that while Axon’s core products are the same in the US and UK, the way they are worn isn’t. The UK, for example, often has different requirements, which is why everything from UK-specific mounts to holsters and training suits are designed and manufactured in the UK.

For example, the Flex 2 is a small cigar-shaped point of view camera designed to record exactly what the wearer sees, but the camera needs to point directly at what the police officer is looking at: if they tip or turn their head, the camera needs to follow. In the US this is achieved by fixing it to officers’ sunglasses. But that’s not an option in the UK, where most police forces require officers to take off sunglasses when interacting with the public. 

Speaking about this challenge, Coles says: “To develop the head mount for the Flex 2, I worked closely with the police firearm school and their officers. After observing and talking to officers, I decided firstly to place the camera on the peak of the police cap with a magnetic mount and then moved on to different solutions. We took a long time honing this product, and settled on a Velcro compatible loop covering to the peak and hook under the mount in combination with an especially designed and manufactured woven elastic with silicone dots, so that it would grip the camera but stay flexible. Developing this mount took a large number of interviews and rigorous testing, but we got it right in the end – it’s a top-rated product, with over 3,000 police officers using it. No matter how small a product is, we won’t stop until we get it just right.” He’s recently completed a new challenge successfully for a police force who needed the Flex 2 to be worn on the shoulder. 

To get the design just right, countless technical details have to be considered. Coles says, “We have to think carefully about materials. Equipment has to withstand pepper spray and fabrics have to be durable and breathable. We even use materials developed by NASA. Equipment, like a body-worn camera (BWC), has to withstand being pulled and grabbed. But in other situations – for example, if an officer has come off a motorbike or a wire gets trapped the camera should have a release mechanism, so that there’s no risk of the officer being pulled along. Police are not just walking, but also running, rolling on the floor, and jumping into their cars. We have to think about the worst possible scenario and design with it in mind because it could be a matter of life and death.”

To make sure not just every piece of equipment, but also every mount, holster and training suit, works perfectly and in every situation, numerous interviews are conducted before and during their development and throughout the in-depth testing regime.

To get the design of fixes and mounts just right, the designer really has to understand the ins and outs of police officers’ daily work. Coles can draw on over twenty years of experience working closely with police, supplying equipment, getting to know different police forces and their exact requirements.  

He knows on an intuitive level that all equipment just has to work: the best BWC is of little use if it is difficult to operate, poorly mounted so it moves about, or the lens angle isn’t right. Police officers are also often on their feet all day, so any equipment and its connectors have to be comfortable and user-friendly.

One particularly valuable experience was taking part in an instructor training course. “There was a part where they put you under stress,” says Coles. “They get you to run into a darkened room with smoke, flashing lights, loud banging noises and I had to get a pair of handcuffs on somebody. It really got my adrenaline going and gave me a feel of the stress officers can be under and an understanding that police equipment has to be robust and usable almost without thinking. To be honest I didn’t perform very well at all, but I learnt a lot about an officer’s work.”

Approaching design from the point of view of the user (quite literally in this case), is often referred to as ‘design thinking’, a shift in product development that has emerged in recent years. The designs evolve out of understanding and empathy: being able to put yourself into the position of the user rather than top-down product development, where the focus is on features. Indeed, the most successful companies put the needs of the customer first, focusing on user experience and solving their problems through intelligent design. 

Coles works with his colleagues to put prototypes together in-house and then works with the police to thoroughly test and hone them until Axon is 100% satisfied that they meet the company’s high standards and satisfy customers' needs. He says, “We have worked with the College of Policing as well as different forces, who are very keen to have an input at the development stage and make sure they get the best products.” The process works well. It can involve the occasional setback when we haven’t quite got things right but as long as the end result turns out well and the customer is happy, it’s all worthwhile.

Axon takes a holistic approach to product development – it’s not just about an individual product, but how all the pieces of equipment work together, creating a whole that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Axon’s vision is an ecosystem with the police officer at its centre, increasing their capabilities and making sure they are as effective as they possibly can be by providing powerful tools that are reliable and intuitive to use. 

Good design is essential to the vision. And officers never pay much attention to the big little things, such as mounts, which means that Coles got it just right. 

ARTICLE: The Big Little Things

The Big Little Things

There is potential for data-driven policing to predict and prevent crimes. Still, racial equality campaigner Mecole Jordan-McBride, Senior Program Manager at NYU School of Law Policing Project and a member of Axon's US ethics board, warns that its use comes with implications for civil liberties and BAME communities.

Predictive policing is already used in many places in the US as well as the UK, but there is increasing controversy over its rapid adoption due to lack of transparency and its potential to discriminate and alienate communities. This prompted the EU to propose new rules for AI in February 2020, saying that ‘Clear rules are needed to address ‘high-risk AI systems’ such as those in health, policing or transport, which should be ‘transparent, traceable and guarantee human oversight.’ 

Predictive policing was introduced around 2011, when Time magazine hailed predictive policing as one of the top 50 inventions that year. It was a time where we were just starting to grasp the potential of big data that came with the advancing digitisation as well as high hopes that this technology would improve our lives.

Numerous police forces in the US and UK have started trialling and using historic data to predict crimes over the last decade. 

Predictive policing systems work by using machine-learning algorithms, which can analyse millions of data points. These can include details of past crimes and identities of criminals, which can be combined with local intelligence, social media history and mobile phone data. The AI systems are trained to spot correlations and patterns within the data to, for example, learn the modus operandi of offenders, and make predictions of where future crimes are likely to occur and who may become a victim or perpetrator of violence. 

From the technology’s inception there has been great optimism that it would enable the police to move from traditional policing to intelligence-led policing, or from a reactive to a proactive approach, preventing rather than having to solve crimes. This would benefit not only victims and society as a whole but also perpetrators, who might avoid entering the criminal justice system and the detrimental effects this often has on their life chances.

However, there is mounting concern that this use of data negatively impacts civil liberties and communities. Mecole Jordan-McBride, Senior Program Manager at NYU School of Law Policing Project and a member of Axon's US ethics board, calls for a more cautious approach to predictive policing. “We live in a society which is becoming increasingly reliant on AI,” she says. “But this doesn't give a green light for applications such as predictive policing without taking a deep dive into how it works and how it impacts communities.”

Mecole also has concerns around how the technology affects BAME communities. Some systems focus on location, trying to predict where and when future crimes are likely to happen, while others try to prevent crimes by pinpointing the individuals that are most likely to become a victim or perpetrator of crime. To compile the list, the system looks at residents with a history of violence and criminal activity, as well as the people they are affiliated to, through, for example, gang activity or social media history.  

Mecole finds this deeply problematic because she argues that the data used replicates existing racial biases in society, risking a new kind of profiling. She says, “Some communities of colour are already over-policed, and these algorithms are simply reproducing this, focusing disproportionately on them.” 

Mecole observes how this is alienating the very people that agencies are trying to protect, and who feel not only targeted but occupied. “In some neighbourhoods, there are police on every corner, who look like they are just waiting for something to happen. That sends a negative message. It alienates people and erodes trust, creating a vicious circle.” 

But it doesn't only affect the people who have a criminal history, as these systems can also capture the identities of social connections, including friends and relatives. Mecole says, “It's forcing people to make difficult choices. For example, I have had no contact with law enforcement but, if I wanted to stay connected to a family member who did, I would have to face an invasion of my privacy on a very granular level, such as being put on strategic mapping lists, which puts me in view of law enforcement.” 

Civil liberty campaigners argue that this doesn't only violate associational freedoms, but also goes against a reasonable expectation of privacy. There are also concerns about the lack of transparency, as there is often no easy way to see the list and what kind of information is held, rectify errors or remove oneself from it.

So far, the evidence of how effective these systems are is mixed and difficult to assess, in particular, as moderate increases in crimes solved in the short term could be outweighed by the detrimental impact this has on some communities in the long run.

While Axon recognises the potential for data-driven policing, Axon is not currently developing such technologies and works closely with its ethics board to make sure any solution the company provides is effective as well as ethical. 

Mecole asks, “What message does it send to communities when police forces invest millions on AI rather than building relationships with these communities, or investing in much-needed social services, which would prevent some of the problems that lead to criminal activities? There is an absence of input by the communities as well as transparency.” 

Does she think predictive policing would be more suited to the UK, where communities tend to be more mixed? “It looks different but, at the core, there is the potential for the same institutional, systemic bias, which is replicated in AI,” she says.

Finally, could there be a new type of AI, developed to embed fairness into such a predictive policing system? “I won't say that AI doesn't have a place in policing,” says Mecole, “but technology won't ever replace relationship-building, sensitivity to social issues and trust. We need to have these difficult conversations. I think Axon is doing just that by working with an ethics board, so kudos to them. We are an independent board, so they don't have to follow our advice, but they have always listened and observed our recommendations, and I think this is helping them to succeed.” And, Mecole says, it's exactly this engagement that may enable the development of less-biased AI in future. “Nothing is impossible.”

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Six signs that VR is the future of in-work training

Four takeaways from the National Policing Digital Strategy

The Big Little Things

Machines, AI, and the Future of Intelligence-led Policing