CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A new virtual reality training system is changing how Corpus Christi Police Department officers prepare for high-stress situations, putting them face-to-face with realistic scenarios before they ever hit the streets.
Inside a VR headset, Senior Officer Sam Mitchell shouts commands at a suspect. The scene feels real, intense and unpredictable. It is one of dozens of scenarios now used to train both cadets and veteran officers.
Mitchell, the department’s defensive tactics coordinator, says the goal goes beyond quick reactions. The focus is on decision-making in critical moments…