Since 1962, every May on the week of the 15th we celebrate National Police Week. It is a time where everyone pays respects to law enforcement members who have lost their lives in the line of duty, as well as honoring those who serve in the present and past. May 15th is also Peace Officer Memorial Day.
According to last year’s data compiled by National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), 226 members of law enforcement died in the line of duty in 2022. Compared to 568 who lost their lives in 2021, this is thankfully a significant decrease. You can view the data report here for a detailed breakdown.
Our mission that we keep at the forefront of our minds is to help police officers return home safely every day. We hope that our training can provide not only safer communities but safer members of law enforcement. While we cannot possibly stop every incident from happening, our goal is to reduce the frequency of the unfortunate injuries and deaths of our heroes.
As an annual tradition, NLEOMF schedules various events throughout the week and days prior that engage communities in commemorating officers. One way this is done is through the Annual Candlelight Vigil at the National Mall in Washington, DC that took place Saturday, May 13. We believe this is a beautiful way to express appreciation and remembrance.
The staff at VirTra want to express our gratitude to all U.S. police officers for protecting our communities. It is also just as important to remember the lives lost on duty. So, we say once again to all active and retired first responders at local, tribal, state and federal levels: Thank you.
References:
https://nleomf.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2021-EOY-Fatality-Report-Final-web.pdf
CHANDLER, Ariz. — March 17, 2023 — VirTra, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTSI) (“VirTra”), a global provider of judgmental use of force training simulators, and firearms training simulators for the law enforcement and military markets, will hold a conference call on Friday, March 31, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (1:30 p.m. Pacific time) to discuss its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2022. Financial results will be issued in a press release prior to the call.
VirTra management will host the presentation, followed by a question-and-answer period.
Date: Friday, March 31, 2023
Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (1:30 p.m. Pacific time)
U.S. dial-in: 1-877-407-9208
International dial-in: 1-201-493-6784
Conference ID: 13736693
Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Investor Relations at 949-574-3860.
The conference call will be broadcast live and available for replay here and via the investor relations section of the company’s website.
A replay of the call will be available after 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on the same day through April 14, 2023.
Toll-free replay number: 1-844-512-2921
International replay number: 1-412-317-6671
Replay ID: 13736693
About VirTra, Inc.
VirTra (Nasdaq: VTSI) is a global provider of judgmental use of force training simulators, firearms training simulators and driving simulators for the law enforcement, military, educational and commercial markets. The company’s patented technologies, software, and scenarios provide intense training for de-escalation, judgmental use-of-force, marksmanship, and related training that mimics real-world situations. VirTra’s mission is to save and improve lives worldwide through practical and highly effective virtual reality and simulator technology. Learn more about the company at www.VirTra.com.
Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover and Tom Colton
Gateway Group, Inc.
949-574-3860
For yet another year, VirTra will be attending ILEETA 2023 to meet with clients and prospects. VirTra will provide attendees plenty of information regarding our technology as well as presentations by one of our in-house experts. The conference takes place on March 20-25 in St. Louis, Missouri.
Some of the technology we will be providing information on includes:
- Our simulators, including the flagship product: the V-300®
- Hardware such as durable recoil kits and CO2 magazines
- The V-Threat-Fire® patented consequence device
- Certified curriculum such as Red Dot Optic Training and Duty to Intervene
- Scenarios based on real life law enforcement events
Nicole Florisi, VirTra’s Law Enforcement Subject Matter Expert, will be presenting “The Investigator’s Role in Trauma Mitigation During an OIS” twice during the conference. You can see it in Grand B on Tuesday at 1:00 pm or in Grand C on Wednesday at 8:00 am.
Nicole will also be participating in a panel about the psychological effects of scenario-based training on police personnel in Midway 9 on Thursday at 1:00 pm. It will be hosted by Sgt. Alexandra Kitty Nelson. Other subject matter experts weighing in on this panel include Lynn Westover, Von Kliem, and Jeff Johnsgaard.
You can find VirTra at Table #314. We hope to see you there!
CHANDLER, Ariz. — March 7, 2023 — VirTra, Inc. (Nasdaq: VTSI) (“VirTra”), a global provider of judgmental use of force training simulators and firearms training simulators for the law enforcement and military markets, will be attending the 35th Annual ROTH Conference being held March 12-14, 2023 at The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel located in Dana Point, CA.
VirTra’s chairman and co-CEO, Bob Ferris, will hold one-on-one meetings with institutional investors and analysts throughout the conference. For additional information or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with VirTra management, please contact your Roth representative or VirTra’s investor relations team at VTSI@gatewayir.com.
About VirTra
VirTra (Nasdaq: VTSI) is a global provider of judgmental use of force training simulators and firearms training simulators for the law enforcement, military, educational and commercial markets. The company’s patented technologies, software, and scenarios provide intense training for de-escalation, judgmental use-of-force, marksmanship, and related training that mimics real-world situations. VirTra’s mission is to save and improve lives worldwide through practical and highly effective virtual reality and simulator technology. Learn more about the company at www.VirTra.com.
Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover and Tom Colton
Gateway Group, Inc.
949-574-3860
Written by: Sgt. Alexandra Kitty Nelson
Stress. Law enforcement. Realistic training. Cumulative trauma. Stress injury. Exhaustion. Generally speaking, the current state of policing is pressure-laden whether managing external incidents or navigating internal politics. I have yet to meet an officer who has described their agency as a mentally healthy, nurturing environment where officers successfully weather trauma and serenity reigns. Realistically, some occupational stress is inevitable and exposure to trauma is likely. Total avoidance of trauma and stress is not a reasonable approach given that police officers exist to problem-solve and maintain the peace. We prepare officers to confront real life situations through training and realistic scenario-based training is an effective educational method. As scenario-based training has evolved, the effects of stress on physical performance, cognitive load, and decision-making have been studied. But have we given sufficient attention to what happens once the scenario is complete?
Imagine a training day in AnyTown, USA. The officer trainee has just been exposed to the sights, sounds, and smells of a traumatic incident during a realistic scenario-based training. The trauma exposure induces physiological and cognitive stress responses in the officer. By the end of their standard 8-hour training day, that same officer experiences multiple, back-to-back traumas as a part of training before flying out the door as quickly as possible to get home, off to their second job, or “anywhere but there.” Scenario debriefs focus heavily on tactics and decision-making with little room for discussion of the emotional and psychological toll to be paid for bearing witness to varying degrees of horrific situations. Persistent stress responses without resolution can lead to cognitive dysfunction and physical injury. Extrapolate those exposures over the course of a week of training…and then years of a career. Finally, after taking into account that research indicates stress responses experienced in training are similar to those experienced in real life, add trauma exposure during training to the traumas officers experience on the street. Phew!! That’s a lot!
Throughout their time as law enforcement professionals, officers collect an assortment of traumatic experiences retaining select memories of those encounters. Their internal processing of those experiences and memories varies for many reasons including their personal level of experience and psychological makeup going in to the incident along with cognitive processing and external support systems coming out of the incident. The traumas officers encounter compounded with the associated exposures to the emotions of survivors, offenders, and witnesses accumulate as encounters continue to occur. As trainers, we have learned and corrected for methods and concepts causing “training scars” over the years. I propose that attending to officer mental health during training and normalizing practical, evidence-based post-training decompression methods are additional areas where we may not be serving our officers well…or at all. We must ask ourselves if this is another training scar that needs attention.
In light of contemporary focus on officer mental health, the law enforcement profession is obligated to look inward at its contributions to stress injury. Robust training not only teaches the task but also prepares personnel for managing accompanying occupational stressors. Addressing trauma exposure and how to manage its effects during scenario-based training are opportunities to bolster resilience and train officers to use stress reduction techniques they can translate to real life. This is also an opportunity to reduce the negative impact of accumulated trauma officers inevitably amass over the course of their careers. As we realize the effects of trauma exposure in our officers, it is our responsibility as trainers and good partners to do more to create psychologically safe environments in which our students can thrive.
On Thursday afternoon at the annual ILEETA training conference (March 23rd), we will start a conversation about the psychological effects of scenario-based training on police personnel. Subject matter experts weighing in on the topic include Lynn Westover (SLC Squared – behavior pattern recognition expert), Nicole Florisi (VirTra – law enforcement subject matter expert), Von Kliem, MCJ, JD, LLM (Force Science Director of Consulting Division – human factors application in force encounters expert), and Jeff Johnsgaard (Natural Tactical Systems – realistic scenario training expert). We will identify the benefits of consciously considering student mental health in training plans, describe the challenges such consideration poses for trainers, and explore how to create trauma-informed training environments. Come join the discussion!
About the Author:
Sgt. Alexandra Kitty Nelson works as a day shift supervisor in Chicago’s northwest suburbs. She recently completed her master’s in psychology with a concentration on trauma for which she researched the effects of training on officer psychology. Sgt. Nelson coaches firearms, active shooter incident management, crisis intervention, and communication skills. She currently serves as 3rd vice president for IALEFI and Senior Associate of Content Delivery for ILET. Sgt. Nelson can be reached at phoenix@firearmstrainingltd.com
Whether you’re a veteran law enforcement trainer or new to the department, training classes can be challenging to cut out time to write, create and plan out. With the help of our expert trainers, VirTra has created the Advanced Training Certification Course (ATCC). This five-day, 40-hour course is designed to give trainers the ability to excel, improve department goals, and ensure that your simulators and scenarios are utilized to their potential. ATCC takes place at our headquarters to provide certified training to trainers on a variety of topics including:
Simulation Science Foundations
Our ATCC course starts off the week with a certified course on Simulation Science. This course is highly praised for its teaching methods. It is an 8-hour NCP-certified class covering the reality of current training for law enforcement and the role of simulation. One unit focuses on the effectiveness of teaching with adult learning concepts, where the transfer of skills becomes an integral part of training effective law enforcement officers.
Advanced Simulator Operations Gap Analysis
This class starts with an assessment of the trainer’s skills with the VirTra simulator. It later progresses through the best methods and techniques to keep your simulator in peak condition. By starting with the basics such as an introduction to the weapon recoil kits and other calibration tools, the class breaks down the basics before building on those skills. Then, with the use of VirTra’s advanced features, each trainer is given specific attention to gauge their current skills. It will show where they could be using other features of VirTra’s extensive library of scenarios and drills.
V-Marksmanship Fundamentals to Advanced Marksmanship
If practice makes perfect, then for every hour on the range, the trainees should have a perfect shooting stance. However, we know that trainers have to teach marksmanship in a variety of environmental factors. The V-Marksmanship course discusses the building blocks for adding a simulation training regiment as part of your firearms training. Covering a wide selection of topics such as three points of coverage and low light training, trainers will then duplicate this in an exercise of their own design following this formula.
Advanced Training Techniques with V-VICTA®
One of our most popular training topics is V-VICTA®. This section of ATCC discusses what V-VICTA is, how to use it, and why it is helpful. VirTra’s V-VICTA is filled with 90+ hours of certified training, and many agencies don’t know about it. VirTra’s instructors who have authored these courses discuss best practices of incorporating it. Additionally, attendees will learn how to access the coursework and present it effectively.
V-Author® Scenario Training
This section of the course wraps up with a breakdown of how to use our coveted V-Author® scenario tools which provides the ability to create your own scenarios from scratch with a panoramic photo. After covering the essential function, the instructor breaks the class into groups. Next, each group creates a customized scenario for topics such as a multi-incident or their department’s firearms qualification course. By customizing scenarios, trainers can drive their training techniques for specific training issues for their agency.
This week-long advanced training course allows VirTra customers to improve on their skills as trainers. It helps them see the potential of what they can add to their current simulation training techniques.
If you would like to sign up for an ATCC course this year, check out our Eventbrite page to sign up.
SHOT Show 2023 brings an opportunity to show clients and potential customers how we have developed and enhanced our product line. SHOT Show is usually the first event of the year for many supplier and developer companies who handle everything firearms. Over the years, the event has given VirTra many opportunities to display our proficiencies to law enforcement agencies looking for an effective training solution.
What’s New This Year?
One of the products you have likely heard about is the V-300® 4K – a product that has taken years to be perfected and was launched to clients in 2020. This ultra-high-resolution simulator will be the main eye catcher, but the tools and scenarios are what really help inspire learning.
Some of the vital tools, curriculum and immersive scenarios include:
- Ultra high-resolution V-300® 4K Simulator
- NEW TASER 7® training cartridges designed for simulator use
- Multi-incident scenarios and skill drills
- The latest recoil kits and CO2 magazines
- V-Threat-Fire® consequence device
- Red Dot Optic Training Program in Partnership with Aimpoint® and Victory First®
We are also giving a sneak peek of our “Behavior Analysis Threat Response” curriculum that is pending submission to IADLEST. This coursework will help law enforcement officers recognize threat cues while also understanding the science behind them.
Special Events
Besides doing demonstrations, VirTra’s will be holding a raffle where three GOAT Guns will be available as prizes! Stop by our booth for a chance to take one of these miniature die cast model rifles home with you.
If you are interested in scheduling personal time for a demonstration with our product specialists and industry SMEs, contact us. We’ll see you on January 17-20 at Booth #30009! You can also find our V-100® at the Action Target booth – Booth #12816.
Starting today, VirTra is at I/ITSEC at Booth #641 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL! It is also our first Orlando-based event since the grand opening of VirTra’s new facility in the same city.
Every year we add new training scenarios, marksmanship capabilities, and add to our list of supported weapons. I/ITSEC is where we display the latest technology available to military units with the goal of keeping servicemembers well-prepared for the field.
Our Showcased Technologies
- V-300® 4K—Ultra HD resolution that more accurately reproduces subtle visual details. This technology more perfectly replicates real-world encounters.
- V-Threat-Fire®—The new version of the patented consequence device that delivers an electric impulse to simulate gunfire, explosions, etc.
- V-Marksmanship – The program that gives warfighters customizable range options and accurate ballistics.
- The Newest Recoil Kits & CO2 Magazines—The newest developments in hardware that transforms a live weapon to simulation-ready in minutes with no permanent modification. Now available for even more weapons!
- Latest Development— Live real-time data analytics demonstration thanks to Vialytix! See the new way to collect and report training data.
If you are at the show, or will be in the next few days, come visit Booth #641 or reserve a private demonstration. Contact a product specialist to skip the lines and schedule time to experience the V-300 4K!
One thing can always be counted on: there is nothing constant but change. One change that has come to many law enforcement agencies is the switch between iron sights and red dot sight (RDS) optics for pistols. There can be a learning curve like there is with acquiring any new skill – but VirTra provides solutions to help overcome the nuances.
If you have a VirTra simulator, you can access the “Red Dot Optics Training and Sustainment” course. This NCP-certified curriculum has 21 accompanying training drills. It was created in conjunction with Victory First® utilizing Aimpoint® red dot optics. The goal is to allow officers to learn skills in the simulator, then practice on the range with minimal transfer time.
One of the ways officers have gotten to practice both in a VirTra simulator and on the range is through the recent Action Target Law Enforcement Training Camp (LETC). VirTra’s Subject Matter Expert Mike Clark taught the Red Dot course to several members of law enforcement. Those who completed the course received a certificate as well as new knowledge to bring back to their agencies.
The Effects of a Smooth Transition
An agency that is about to switch out their iron sights for RDS is Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. Sgt. Micah Evans took Mike Clark’s Red Dot course in preparation for the change. Sgt. Evans and his colleagues currently utilize the simulator at Utah Attorney General’s Office.
“The simulator drills help get the officers dialed into using the optic,” said Sgt. Evans, referring to how training in the simulator helped his performance on the range. “The transition to live fire using the same drills really helped get the officers familiar with the optic.” While no training can imitate real-life ballistics with 100% accuracy, VirTra gets close with accuracy up to 2,500 meters within .02 milliradians.
Hands-On vs. Classroom Training
It is common to hear people say they are visual learners. Many say that they learn better by doing rather than listening to a lecture. Practicing the motor skills is far more engaging than reading about it in a textbook or listening to a presentation. It also helps acquire the skills as well as learning the difference between RDS and iron sights.
The Red Dot Optics course at LETC allowed attendees the experience of having an indoor classroom with pre-tests, indoor simulator sessions, then going to the live fire range to apply the knowledge learned.
When asked if the style of training completed in the LETC Red Dot Optics course was something he would continue to practice, Sgt. Evans stated that it is a style he attempts to do with officers whenever they train. “I am a strong believer in situational based training over flat range and class room,” said Sgt. Evans. “Using the combination that this program offers is exactly the type combined training I strive to provide to my officers.”
Certified Coursework
As mentioned above, the course is NCP-certified – but what does that mean for you? VirTra ensures its V-VICTA® courses (such as Red Dot Optics Training and Sustainment) are certified by IADLEST to ensure quality of content. NCP certification is recognized by POST in 36 states, allowing officers who complete the courses to receive continuing education credit.
This type of coursework allows learning to be done beyond just listening to an instructor verbally explain a topic. Students practice and are tested using the VirTra simulator while learning topics based on case law and real after-action reports. Courses being pre-certified saves time for instructors. Normally approvals would be needed, coursework would need reviewing…and it would have to be written! Just one hour of curriculum saves an instructor 65 hours of research, preparation, writing, reviewing, and approving.
Red Dot Optic Training and Sustainment is much more than just a lecture or repetitive range drill. It contains 21 drills to test the student on what they have learned – plus accurate debrief sessions that follow. It only takes a second to pull in the target so you can see the point of aim over point of impact and repeat!
VirTra highly recommends situational-based training as it prepares trainees and officers for the real world better than any lecture could. If your agency is switching to red dot optics and interested in practicing the skills in a simulator, contact a product specialist.
VirTra is proud to be the leader of high-realism, immersive use of force and firearms training simulators. However, we are more than just a military training simulation company! VirTra provides realistic accessories—such as our drop-in laser recoil kits and Threat-Fire® consequence device— to fully immerse servicemembers in stressful situations while simultaneously rounding out their training regimen.
These products and benefits are a result of thousands of engineering and research hours over the years. All of this work has combined to create the best quality training in the market. This is apparent in everything from our quality drop-in laser recoil kits, which convert duty firearms into the perfect training weapon, to our V-Marksmanship™ program, which features the most accurate ballistics calculator on the market.
Interested in seeing these features for yourself? Please visit us at the upcoming I/ITSEC conference!
We are proud to show off our revolutionary technology and state-of-the-art training accessories and our V-300 4K encourage everyone to personally try it during the event. While reading about training products is beneficial, the only way to see the training difference is to experience it.
You can find VirTra at booth #1001 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL from Nov. 29 – Dec. 3. We will see you there!