By Suzie Ziegler
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A nonprofit devoted to defending police officers has released a new tool that aims to educate the public about the decisions officers make on the job.
The “Decision Points” simulator from the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund (LELDF) uses bodycam footage from real events to analyze use-of-force incidents.
“It raises the public consciousness. It raises the need for the public to understand why the officers may have done what they did,” LELDF president Jason Johnson told Fox News. "[Users] can learn some new information about how officers are trained to respond and why.”
On its website, the LELDF describes the simulator as “an immersive experience designed to place participants ‘in the shoes of’ a law enforcement officer responding to dangerous situations.” While watching the bodycam video, users are prompted at “decision points” to predict what the officer should do next.
For example, in “Simulation 1,” an officer is called to a scene where a son has stabbed his father. Users are asked if the officer should approach or retreat, and if the officer should use his TASER or gun. Each scenario ends with feedback and more detailed information about the event.
“We just want people to have a more balanced understanding of ... when they see a video of a police officer using force or see a story of a police shooter, we want them to understand some of the dynamics at play and why officers may react the way they do,” Johnson told Fox News. “And the only way to gain that understanding is to personally experience it.”
To experience the Decision Points simulation, see here.