OHIO’s Voinovich Academy, GRID Lab bring 360VR training to public service employees

Two individuals wear virtual reality headsets while sitting at tables at ��.

When virtual reality headsets entered the mainstream in 2014, users gushed over immersive video games or computer-generated worlds filled with dinosaurs roaming the earth, deep-sea creatures swimming about, and maybe a stroll through the Grand Canyon.

As the technology has advanced and the cost of the headsets has dropped from thousands of dollars to hundreds, though, more practical uses of the technology have emerged.

Case in point: The OHIO360 initiative is dedicated to developing high-quality, immersive soft-skill virtual reality (VR) experiences to train public service professionals working on the challenging frontlines of safety, security, and health care. The training series itself was developed in partnership with ��'s Voinovich Academy for Excellence in Public Service and the Game Research and Immersive Design (GRID) Lab at the McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies in the Scripps College of Communication.

OHIO360 has its roots in the Appalachian Law Enforcement Initiative (ALEI), which was launched in 2021 to support law enforcement professionals in southeast �� with state-of-the-art training to which they might not otherwise have access.

A slide that says Virtual Reality Immersion Training for Modern Policing - LAPC Technology Conference 2025

How virtual reality allows officers to rehearse scenarios in real time

The initiative’s first project was the creation of two cinematic virtual reality (Cine-VR) scenarios providing instruction in de-escalating complex and volatile behavioral health crises. This uniquely immersive approach proved highly effective, as it allows law enforcement professionals to experience scenarios in real-time and consider their own reactions.

Over the past four years, more than 30,000 officers have been given the opportunity to undergo VR training, replacing sessions that would typically take place in a classroom or online. The advantages of immersive training over 2D are clear.

“In 15 to 20 minutes you can learn what would normally take you four to six hours in a classroom,” says John Born of the Voinovich Academy, who spent 32 years in law enforcement and public safety. “On top of that, you're much more likely to remember it long-term.”

“The ability to remember things in 360 is freakily strong,” says Eric R. Williams, a professor at the McClure School. “People will come out of these scenarios very emotional, and what I find fascinating is that people will talk about the experiences as if they were there.”

Three individuals stand behind an �� Homeland Security booth

More workforce applications for virtual reality training

Two more ��360 training modules are currently in the works. One of these is the Buddy to Boss program, which explores how the relationship between two co-workers changes when one is promoted to a supervisory role.

The immersive 360 experience will consist of two main scenes: an office environment and an office parking lot. It is not prescriptive (what you should or should not do as a new supervisor), but instead, focuses on realistic situations new supervisors may need to navigate.

The second is a forensic nursing session that promises to have a wide-ranging and significant impact. Set within the 24 hours after a woman is sexually assaulted, the scenario features the victim interacting with a friend, the police, the EMT, the forensic nurse, and a patient advocate.

“The underlying message is each of these people is gathering important information, and if they collaborate and share information, the outcome will be crucial to the well-being of the victim and how it affects her family,” says Williams. “From there, we can follow what the first week post-assault would be like, then the first month, and if it eventually makes it into a courtroom.”

How OHIO leads the state in virtual reality training opportunities

Williams says that each training module takes three to four months to complete, which includes writing a script, casting actors, pre-production, and rehearsing. The actual filming can be completed in as little as one day. Production costs are usually cheaper than creating animated VR material. Yet, �� is currently the only state that provides this type of training to law enforcement and other public sector workers.

“It is more than just teaching,” says Born. “It's providing the experience to people that don't have it. Then we guide them through the right way and wrong way to handle things with enough freedom and flexibility.”