GMP uses VR training to help officers deal with hate crime

The Affinity project was developed to address issues around the understanding and empathy levels of officers dealing with hate crimes and victims.

GMP is the first force in the world to utilise VR technology in this way.

Prior to using the headsets, a baseline empathy and knowledge measurement was obtained from participants, via headset surveys, and measured periodically in line with the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire.

From this, it was shown that the empathy levels of officers shifted by 46 per cent – on average, more traditional training methods only result in behavioural shifts 15 per cent of the time.

In terms of the content itself, GMP officers say it has improved their understanding of the plight of victims of crime, with 91 per cent of respondents stating that the content and training would help them in their role.

When using VR as a training tool, 86 per cent of respondents preferred it over traditional training methods.

The Affinity project was developed by Chief Inspector May Preston and Mother Mountain Productions, with support from the Evidence Based Practice Board.

The project was initially delayed due to Covid-19 but was rolled out in 2021 to around 1,600 frontline officers via the Cultural Awareness Team.

Chief Insp Preston was keen to bring VR technology into GMP as she could see the potential benefit of moving beyond traditional methods of training to provide an experience which was more visceral and impactive.

The scenarios were based on real-life incidents, and the victims worked closely with the team to ensure authenticity.

At the commencement of this project, GMP and Mother Mountain Productions embarked on close consultation with victims of crime, officers across the force, staff support networks and community groups to develop three authentic VR scenarios around hate crime.

The project has already attracted recognition on a national and international scale, with forces at home and abroad taking a keen interest in what has been developed and delivered at GMP.

A presentation about the VR-based training programme was recently delivered to the University of Hamburg and Polizei Hamburg, which are keen to build on the learning to deliver their own VR project to enable their officers to better deal with hate crime.