Upgrading the Standard: Why the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office Replaced Screen Simulators with Immersive VR
In law enforcement training, adaptability and realism are everything. For years, agencies relied on traditional screen-based simulators, such as legacy projection systems like MILO—to help officers practice split-second decision-making. However, as tactical training needs evolve, departments are looking for tools that offer deeper immersion, greater mobility, and fully open-ended scenarios.
That’s why the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office in Iowa recently invested in a cutting-edge virtual reality training system from Operator XR, purchasing three VR headsets and interactive equipment to expand their tactical training options.
Moving Beyond Fixed Screens
While older flat-screen systems are limited by physical walls, fixed camera angles, and awkward pauses, the new VR setup changes the dynamic entirely.
“Compared to the MILO screen, there were maybe five preset answers,” noted Deputy Seth Maitlen. “This one, they’re allowed to have open dialogue and not have that awkward pause”
Instead of just talking to a flat display, deputies are placed directly into a 360-degree environment where they can freely look, move, and dynamically interact.
“In MILO, it felt like you were talking to a screen. Now we can actually say whatever we want and interact with each other. Make it more realistic... This system definitely makes me feel like you’re there, you’re part of the actual real scenario.”
Infinite Customisation and Mobility
Beyond realistic dialogue, the Operator XR system gives the department the freedom to build custom environments, from local house calls to floor plans generated directly from blueprints of the Sioux County Courthouse. It also offers incredible portability, requiring only a large open room (like a gym) and about 20 minutes to set up, rather than requiring officers to travel to a fixed training station.
With robust after-action review tools that track audio, field of view, and weapon positioning from multiple viewpoints, the Sioux County Sheriff's Office is setting a new standard for deputy preparedness.
“Awesome system, exciting, lots of possibilities and a lot of future training we can do with it-”
To read the complete story on how Sioux County is transforming their training program, check out the full feature on The N'West Iowa Review.
Curious? Want to see how Sioux County Sheriff’s Office are improving officer training through the OP-2 training system?