Duty to intervene
simulation training

When an officer is violating someone's rights, or using unnecessary force against a civilian, it is the responsibility and duty of morally driven officers present at the scene to intervene. Imagine if one of Derek Chauvin's fellow officers had intervened, and made sure that George Floyd wasn't treated so violently, maybe the worst could have been avoided. Moreover, that was just one case, we don't know how many citizens have to deal with physical and mental trauma after they encounter a police officer who violates their rights instead of protecting them.

However, the truth is that the vast majority of police officers aren't like Derek Chauvin. They are good men, who are determined to uphold the law and protect civilians. Yet, in many cases, they aren't able to intervene and stop the unlawful actions of a fellow officer. Why is that so?

Well, there are many reasons, from peer pressures, and fear to agency culture. However, the most impactful reason is that officers aren't trained to do so, and they don't recognize that they have the power to intervene. Duty to Intervene training is almost non-existent in most police departments. Since officers have never experienced such a scenario, they are quite likely to hesitate and freeze in a situation where a fellow officer is using excessive force, or being abusive.

There is a common narrative among police officers that you always need to have your partner back, and where that may be true, officers also need to be taught when to speak up against their partners. They should be taught that their basic duty is the protection of civilians and enforcing the law. So, when a fellow officer immorally breaks the law and assaults a civilian, it is their moral and professional duty to step in and stop their partners.

Designing a training regime to practice "duty to Intervene" scenarios can be challenging. Police departments can give theoretical training to officers, however, there is no way to get practical training. These days, many police departments are turning towards virtual training simulators because of their versatility. They are also a safe and cost-effective training method.

Virtual training simulators have a wide variety of training exercises and can be used for specific duty to Intervene training as well. These training simulations are designed to trigger emotional and psychological responses in police officers. They are designed to empower the morality of police officers and teach them the skills to question decisions and challenge unethical behaviors in an effective, and objective manner.