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VirTra and the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) have opened nominations for the fourth annual Taskforce Santa initiative, a program intended to provide simulation-based training equipment to a smaller public safety agency.
The organization selected for the 2026 program will receive a VirTra V-100 portable simulator package valued at approximately $40,000. The package is designed to support training in areas such as officer decision-making, de-escalation and community safety.
Taskforce Santa is open to public safety organizations with no more than 24 sworn officers. Agencies that already own a VirTra simulator are not eligible.
“Taskforce Santa is about recognizing smaller public safety organizations that are doing important work with limited resources,” VirTra CEO John Givens said. “At VirTra, we see how committed these organizations are to improving training, even when budgets and resources are limited.”
According to the program announcement, the selected agency will receive the portable V-100 simulator system along with training software, VirTra’s V-VICTA curriculum, training accessories, installation and initial training. The package also includes one year of service and warranty coverage.
The simulator is intended to give officers access to scenario-based training that can be conducted within their own organization rather than relying solely on outside training facilities. The program is aimed specifically at smaller departments and agencies that may have limited budgets or fewer internal training resources.
Applicants are required to complete a written submission, which will serve as the official nomination record. Agencies may also provide an optional video to offer additional information about their organization, training needs and how they would use the equipment.
VirTra and IADLEST said they are seeking organizations that can demonstrate both a training need and a commitment to using the system to support their officers and communities.
The program has previously provided simulation equipment to public safety agencies in several states. Past recipients listed by VirTra include the Nashville Police Department in Georgia, selected in 2022; the Atoka Police Department in Tennessee, selected in 2023; and the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon, selected in 2024.
Those agencies reflect the program’s focus on smaller departments that are seeking to expand training opportunities while working within limited resources.
Simulation systems are generally used to place officers in interactive scenarios that require them to assess a situation and make decisions based on changing circumstances. Depending on the training curriculum, scenarios can involve communication, de-escalation, judgment and other skills associated with public safety interactions.
For the selected Taskforce Santa agency, the included equipment and curriculum are intended to allow the organization to begin using the system after installation and training are completed.
VirTra will also provide information about Taskforce Santa during the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference. The company is scheduled to exhibit at Booth 541, where attendees can ask about the initiative and its simulation training systems.
Taskforce Santa enters its fourth year as a joint initiative between VirTra and IADLEST, with eligibility remaining focused on small public safety organizations that do not currently have a VirTra simulator.
Interested agencies can submit an application here by October 30, 2026 for consideration.