The aim of the project was to create an innovative VR tool for training difficult communication and psychologically challenging situations for police officers. The project was specifically aimed at developing the competencies of police officers in communicating with members of minorities or foreigners. This innovative training tool not only increased the skills of the training participants in working with minorities, but also contributed to their knowledge of handling situations that are highly stressful and psychologically demanding. One of the trained skills was the prevention and de-escalation of conflict, for which VR is particularly well suited because it represents an immersive and authentic, but also safe and guided environment, preparing the participants for real-life scenarios. Another objective of the project was the enhancement of the social and intercultural skills of the police officers.
Virtual reality (VR) training for enhancing communication skills has proven to bring excellent results, especially in the context of psychologically challenging situations. Its immersive nature often evokes strong emotions, increasing the authenticity of the experience that cannot be replicated through theoretical study alone. In this project, we developed an innovative VR tool for enhancing the communication skills of police officers in the Czech Republic, specifically in navigating psychologically demanding interactions with members of minority communities. Police officers were led through challenging communication (designed to exemplify best communication practices) using VR avatar as a guide. The scenario for this VR training was developed by experts in intercultural communication and minority engagement, ensuring its relevance. The VR tool was presented to police officers in Czechia and Poland, and will be integrated into training programmes for novice police officers in Czechia. Based on the feedback from participants, the tool proved to be an important contribution to the learning experience, equipping the members of the police force with intercultural competencies crucial for managing difficult on-duty situations.