VirTra's Law Enforcement Dog Encounters Training Approved by Department of Justice

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VirTra, Inc. VTSI, a global provider of training simulators for the law enforcement, military, educational, and commercial markets, announced that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has approved and published the Law Enforcement Dog Encounters Training (LEDET) toolkit developed by VirTra and the National Sheriff's Association (NSA).

The LEDET program is the first law enforcement dog training program the DOJ has approved since 2009. The toolkit compliments the full Law Enforcement Dog Encounter Training course created by VirTra, NSA and National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse (NLECAA), which has set the standard for police-dog encounters across the United States. The LEDET training program is focused on police training for domestic dog encounters and includes a scenario kit that helps law enforcement officers safely interact with domestic dogs.

The full LEDET course is an eight-hour training program that uses VirTra's interactive scenarios to both train and test students. The LEDET program pairs canine behavior science with advanced officer safety measures to help officers make quick, safe, and compassionate decisions when dealing with dogs under stressful circumstances. The program helps officers recognize cues that inform them quickly when a dog is truly aggressive. It focuses on de-escalation and less-than-lethal methods to keep the officer safe and prevent the needless shooting of a family pet.

NLECAA and the Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office have been developing the written toolkit for three years, and VirTra's in-house experts developed the scenario kit to be used on VirTra's immersive training simulators. The 70+ page LEDET toolkit includes a Review of Literature, model policies, and a quick reference guide to dog behavior. The toolkit was co-authored by James Crosby M.S., Director of Canine Encounters Training for the National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse (NLECAA) and Chelsea Rider, Director of NLECAA. Crosby, who is a retired Police Lieutenant, a Certified Behavior Consultant, and an internationally recognized expert on dog aggression and behavior, is also the author of the full LEDET Training Course.

"This is really new ground," said Crosby. "The collaboration between VirTra and our team places dog encounter training right up there with state-of-the-art use-of-force training, as it should be. The ability to have officers experience dog body language – the whole spectrum of sights, movement, and sounds – is a tremendous step forward. There is no similar training with the interactive aspect anywhere. With our team we were able to produce training by law enforcement, for law enforcement, based on years of direct personal experience on the street and backed by the academic foundation of the science behind dog actions and motivations."

VirTra General Manager, Jason Mulcahy added: "VirTra continues to succeed by working alongside leading industry experts on developing curriculum for a growing number of real-world challenges. Not only do we believe this program will improve officer safety, but also reduce the chances of tragically shooting someone's pet when it is unnecessary. To have this course certified by the DOJ is a significant feat for any company, and we are honored that VirTra now has this certification."

The DOJ's publication of this toolkit also recognizes the vast range of input and experience behind the LEDET course. Not only is the training set in real situations that law enforcement officers face every day, it also incorporates current advanced canine behavioral science, shelter handling and interaction skills, real life animal control, and practices grounded in the latest situational awareness training for Law Enforcement.

The LEDET scenarios debuted at NSA's Annual Education and Technology in June 2018.The content package, which goes along with the newly published toolkit, includes five interactive scenarios and an additional training module that covers the fundamentals of dog behavior. All six of the certified training modules are available in VirTra's content library for the V-300®, and four are available for the V-180® and V-100®. Law enforcement agencies will now be able to use the scenario kits in tandem with the written LEDET toolkit for maximum training value. For more information or to download the free guide, please visit here.

About VirTra:

VirTra VTSI is a global provider of judgmental use of force training simulators, firearms training simulators and driving simulators for the law enforcement, military, educational and commercial markets. The company's patented technologies, software, and scenarios provide intense training for de-escalation, judgmental use-of-force, marksmanship and related training that mimics real-world situations. VirTra's mission is to save and improve lives worldwide through practical and highly-effective virtual reality and simulator technology. Learn more about the company at www.VirTra.com.

About NLECAA

The National Law Enforcement Center on Animal Abuse was established by the National Sheriffs' Association to provide law enforcement officers information on the realities of animal abuse and to promote their proactive involvement in the enforcement of animal abuse laws in their communities. Through its partners, the Center serves as an information clearinghouse and forum for law enforcement on the growing problem of animal abuse and its link to other types of crimes, including violence against humans. Additionally, the Center seeks to improve officer safety in dog encounters through continuing education and training. Learn more at www.sheriffs.org/nlecaa.

About National Sheriffs' Association

The National Sheriffs' Association (NSA) is one of the largest associations of law enforcement professionals in the United States, representing more than 3,000 elected sheriffs across the nation, and a total membership of more than 20,000. NSA is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising the level of professionalism among sheriffs, their deputies, and others in the field of criminal justice and public safety. Throughout its 78-year history, NSA has served as an information clearinghouse for sheriffs, deputies, chiefs of police, other law enforcement professionals, state governments and the federal government. Learn more at www.sheriffs.org.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release includes certain information that may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by terminology such as "could", "may", "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "proposed," "planned," "potential" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including statements about VirTra's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although VirTra believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. VirTra cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Accordingly, due to the risks, uncertainties and assumptions inherent in forward-looking information, readers and prospective investors in the Company's securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof, is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof and is subject to change. The Company assumes no obligation to revise or update forward-looking information to reflect new circumstances, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Investor Relations Contact:

Matt Glover or Charlie Schumacher

VTSI@gatewayir.com  

949-574-3860