Bill Boone
The black screen begins a white countdown. Suddenly, you’re in a school setting, with screams and the sound of bullets echoing around you. A speaker on your hip commands you to move in and detain the perpetrator. As you move closer, a door swings open and students race past, warning of a man with a gun. You’re sweating, unsure of what’s ahead. Suddenly, a man with a rifle appears. In a blind panic, you shoot, and the screen goes black. Did you get him? Did you save the students?
This intense scenario is part of the Virtual Reality Simulator training called MILO (Multiple Interactive Learning Objectives) used by the Arizona Rangers in Maricopa to enhance their shooting and decision-making skills.
“Shooting and decision-making is a perishable skill. If you don’t practice it a lot, you lose it,” says Sergeant Tony Kirkbride.
MILO, in use for a few months at Central Arizona College in Coolidge, helps law enforcement agencies like the Arizona Rangers and Mesa Police Department practice real-life scenarios. These range from traffic stops to high-risk school shootings. Ten members train per session, taking turns and critiquing each other’s reactions. Most Rangers have no prior law enforcement experience, so MILO helps mold them into effective officers.
To simulate shooting, Rangers use a .43-caliber marking round, which shoots a laser instead of real bullets. The computer tracks where the “bullet” lands, marking it for review after the simulation. This allows Rangers to improve their aim without using real ammunition.
Before MILO, Rangers practiced on paper targets, which lacked the adrenaline rush of real threats. According to Kirkbride, “A paper target is no threat to you.” MILO changes that, providing realistic scenarios that evoke genuine stress responses.
About a quarter of the Rangers have trained with MILO so far, with plans to train all members, requiring sessions two to three times a year. Reactions to the virtual reality training vary, with some experiencing intense adrenaline rushes and even tears.
Dawn Yamanouchi, a new Ranger, enjoyed the simulations, appreciating how they mimicked real-life situations. Roger Hyles, 59, a former Chandler Police Department officer, found MILO to be a significant wake-up call. He believes it greatly improved his critical thinking skills.
I tried MILO myself and was impressed by its power and control. In a school shooting scenario, I had to react quickly to civilians and locate the perpetrator. My first shot missed, but I improved with subsequent shots, a common experience, according to Kirkbride. He noted that I performed better than the average Ranger, which boosted my confidence.
Following MILO training, Rangers participate in force-on-force training, similar to paintball, where they practice real-life scenarios in a field. This is the final training stage before applying their skills in the real world.
Kirkbride addresses the public’s perception of police, emphasizing their humanity and desire to help. He acknowledges that while some officers make bad decisions under stress, most genuinely want to save lives. He urges people to recognize that there’s a small percentage of “bad apples” in every profession.
“I wish people could see law enforcement’s positive interactions. Terrible videos of officers overreacting often overshadow their good deeds. In every community, there’s a small percentage who turn bad due to negative experiences or poor background checks,” he explains.
MILO training aims to prepare officers for real-life challenges, helping them make better decisions and improve public safety.