Northern York County Regional Police Chief David Lash Discusses Implementation of VR Training Simulator
TEMPE, Ariz.,- WRAP Technologies, Inc., a global leader in innovative public safety technologies and services, today released an interview with the Chief David Lash of the Northern York County Regional Police Department (NYCRPD) in Pennsylvania. Chief Lash discusses his agency’s implementation of their recently purchased WRAP Reality virtual reality training simulator and his agency’s recent deployment of the BolaWRAP remote restraint device on a non-compliant suspect in the field.
The purchase of WRAP Reality and the BolaWRAP by NYCRPD marks the first agency to deploy WRAP’s de-escalation platform, designed to enable agencies to enhance their training leading to better performance in the field through VR simulation and de-escalation tools like the BolaWRAP.
“We are very impressed with the WRAP Reality training simulator,” said Chief Lash of NYCRPD. “We trained ten trainers and started rolling it out into our patrol division. Our officers are very excited about the simulator and how immersive and authentic it truly is. Anytime that we can reinforce good habits by putting officers in stressful situations in controlled environments, we create muscle memory so that they’re prepared to react in the real world. We need to be prepared more than ever to respond appropriately, especially in today’s political climate. The variety of scenarios in the simulator and the ability to act out de-escalation tactics enables the officers to practice ending situations without using deadly force. This fits right into our training regimen.
“One of the best elements of WRAP Reality is the ability to replay a scenario so that an officer can walk around a scenario that he practiced in and watch himself to see how he reacted, what his actions were, and what he may have missed. To be able to correct any bad behavior or decision making on the spot allows our officers to improve and reinforce their training so when they’re in the field in a similarly stressful situation, they can be prepared to make the right decision and go home at the end of their shift.”
Chief Lash added: “We put a proposal out to community organizations, and we’ve covered most of our subscription cost through community donations and foundations. Our community sees the value in training with this device, as they realize we’re trying to improve and refine our skills, and this is one of the best ways to do it.”
“The BolaWRAP is an invaluable tool for law enforcement to restrain suspects without injury safely, and officers also need technology advancements in their training capabilities,” said Tom Smith, CEO of WRAP. “That’s why we created our de-escalation platform, which combines our virtual reality training technology with our BolaWRAP remote restraint device. The BolaWRAP is integrated into many of the VR scenarios to be used as another tool to safely de-escalate situations without resorting to higher levels of force.
“Training is a major focus in policing today, but it’s expensive to take officers out of their shifts and train them. With WRAP Reality, officers can practice more immersive training and supplement their other training efforts. Virtual reality training can be used much more frequently, so officers aren’t just showing up to an academy once a year for training recertification. There is also more opportunity for a variety in training - to cover all aspects of an officer’s experience in the field, from cadet to retirement.”
The full interview can be viewed here.
WRAP announced NYCRPD’s 5-year subscription agreement for WRAP Reality in April 2021, and the press release can be viewed here.
On April 15, 2021, NYCRPD used the BolaWRAP to de-escalate a violent encounter with a suspect, resulting in a safe apprehension and successful outcome with no reported injuries or use of higher levels of force. The bodycam footage can be viewed here.
Additional bodycam videos of the BolaWRAP in use can be viewed here.
About WRAP
WRAP Technologies is a global leader in innovating public safety technologies and services that deliver advanced solutions focused on avoiding escalation. The BolaWRAP® Remote Restraint device, WRAP’s first product, is a patented, hand-held device that discharges a Kevlar® tether to temporarily restrain from a safe distance. Through many field uses and growing adoption by agencies across the globe, BolaWRAP is proving to be an effective tool to safely detain persons without injury. WRAP Reality, the Company’s virtual reality training system, is an immersive training simulator and comprehensive public safety training platform designed to empower first responders with the necessary knowledge to perform in the field. WRAP’s headquarters are located in Tempe, Arizona. For more information, please visit wrap.com.