ORLANDO, Fla. — Amid calls for police reform and more training for officers, the Orlando Police Department recently introduced a new virtual training tool that tests the responses of officers in different community situations. 

The simulator puts officers in virtual life-like environments where they train to de-escalate potential situations they may face on the street. Orlando Police Chief Orlando Rolon says he is hopeful the public will see firsthand what officers face on the frontlines. 

“It is key for our citizens to understand what it is the officers often confront out there, the unknown is the biggest obstacle for officer," Rolon said. 

Purchased last fall, this virtual training tool uses more than 300 scenarios and 85 different outcomes. Police say more than 60 percent of the scenarios require de-escalation tactics for a positive outcome. 

Orlando activist and journalist T.J. Legacy-Cole says positive outcomes during interactions with law enforcement is one of several things protesters are calling for. Still, Legacy-Cole believes the police department’s virtual de-escalation training will not bring positive outcomes.

“It appears that this program is just a justifiable homicide video game and it is just a way for law enforcement officers to roll out propaganda to media outlets to say see how difficult it is for us to do our jobs," Legacy-Cole said. 

Legacy-Cole says he understands a police officer’s job is not easy, but the program — a simulator run by a training officer — lacks certain human qualities. 

“They don’t account for implicit bias. They don’t account for some of the antagonization that we see from some of the law enforcement officers," Legacy-Cole said. 

Rolon said, “Simulators don’t replace real life situations." 

Rolon added that officers also go through live=training exercise at the training facility. Coupled with the new virtual training, he is hopeful officers are better equipped to go out in the community and do their job effectively without incident.

Rolon says this 4K simulator is the first of its kind to be sold to a law enforcement agency. The chief also says he plans to invite city and community leaders to try the simulator for themselves if they would like to do so.