The Ocala City Council voted unanimously to approve the $160,610 purchase of a new simulator that will help local police officers train for a multitude of different scenarios they may encounter in the field.
The vote to approve the acquisition of the new Laser Shot Judgment Training System for the Ocala Police Department took place during the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, June 16.
During a brief presentation to the council, Ocala Police Information Systems Director Joshua Sasso provided details on the new equipment, saying the simulator will allow officers the ability to train with firearms in real-world scenarios that offer vital feedback on how to deescalate a situation.
After Sasso’s words, Mayor Ben Marciano suggested that the council all take part in trying the system once it arrives.
Councilman Jay Musleh asked about how the new system would differ from the old temporary systems, to which Ocala Police Chief Mike Balken took the opportunity to explain the many perceived benefits of the Laser Shot Judgment Training System.
“I’ve demoed this product myself. It is a state-of-the-art training platform that really allows me to focus on what’s most important to me, which is de-escalation,” explained Balken during the meeting. “It forces the officers to make real-time decisions and it allows the instructors to insert changes as Mr. Sasso indicated, that go along with the officer’s decision-making.”
Balken suggested that the prior training technology the department rented was “first generation” and somewhat “cartoonish” in that it didn’t provide realistic scenarios.
“Quite frankly, it was just outdated,” said Balken about the previous system. “The scenarios that were in that system were extremely limited. This wasn’t real-life scenarios and it was a cartoon, for lack of better terms. These are life-action videos that the officers are interacting with.”
Shortly after Balken’s remarks, the council voted unanimously to approve the measure.
Leading up to the meeting, Balken’s agency determined that the ongoing process of renting, setting up, and breaking down temporary equipment was no longer conducive to the volume of continuous training required for local law enforcement officers. To find a permanent solution, the agency conducted research and visited other facilities to test different equipment, ultimately determining that the training simulator provided by Laser Shot best fit the department’s growing needs.
The Laser Shot Judgment Training System utilizes a multi-screen setup to provide better immersion during the virtual training scenarios. It comes equipped with several advanced tools, including nighttime training modes, OC spray simulation, and CO2 cartridges that provide realistic weapon recoil.
Furthermore, the advanced software will allow police instructors to spontaneously change the scenarios, forcing officers to adapt to unpredictable, real-life situations on the fly.
According to city records, the new equipment will be permanently installed at the police department headquarters located at 402 S Pine Ave.
The permanent installation will allow officers to conduct real-time training at any time of the day or night, which is expected to significantly reduce the timeframe needed for offering remedial training to staff members.
Laser Shot, Inc., which is based out of Stafford, Texas, manufactures various law enforcement and military training simulators, including judgmental training software and “tetherless” recoil kits. The police department’s information technology staff evaluated the company’s offerings and determined that the purchase would be cost-effective and provide the city with the best overall value.
Funding for the hardware, software, and associated services will be paid directly from the police department’s operational budget. The city plans to acquire the system through a cooperative purchasing agreement with the federal government. As a political subdivision of the state, Ocala qualifies as an eligible user of the General Service Administration’s Multiple Award Schedule, allowing the city to secure pricing and discounts previously negotiated by the federal government. The underlying contract with the vendor is valid through May 12, 2030.
Late last year, Marion County officials approved a private property owner’s request to build a new facility that provides similar firearms training for citizens through the use of advanced scenarios.
What are your thoughts on the police department’s acquisition of a permanent virtual training simulator? Share them in a comment below or write a letter to the editor.