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Kosciusko County sheriff seeks $250,000 DOJ grant to buy virtual-reality training system
Summary
The sheriff requested and the commissioners approved seeking up to $250,000 from the Department of JusticeSafer Outcomes Program to buy immersive virtual-reality training equipment and pay trainer hours; application deadline and program dates were discussed.
The Kosciusko County sheriff asked the Board of Commissioners for permission to apply for the Department of JusticeSafer Outcomes Program grant, a competitive, nonmatching award with a maximum of $250,000.
The sheriff told commissioners the funding would allow the department to replace its current 2-D "FATS" training technology with an immersive virtual-reality system that can simulate scenarios such as domestic-violence incidents, school-based incidents and jail de-escalation situations. The sheriff also said the grant can fund "training our trainers" and pay man-hours for those trainers while sessions occur.
"We're here this morning to ask permission to apply for a federal grant. It's the 2025 safer outcomes program through the Department of Justice. It's a maximum grant of $250,000," the sheriff said. He described the equipment as a piece of hardware the department would purchase and house in an existing space in the sheriff's basement used for rented 2-D systems.
Commissioners discussed timing; the sheriff said the application must be completed in June and that the program period would run October 1, 2025, through Sept. 30, 2027. A commissioner who identified himself as Chris moved to accept the request to apply; another commissioner seconded. The board approved the motion by voice vote.
The sheriff emphasized the systemin addition to hardwarewould allow local agencies to train together and would include opportunities to certify department trainers. He said the department currently brings in vendors or uses rented equipment for scenario training and believes grant funding is necessary to acquire the more costly virtual-reality technology.
No appropriation or purchase was approved at the meeting; the action recorded was authorization for the sheriff to submit an application. The transcript does not record a roll-call vote or individual tallies for the motion; the board adopted the authorization by voice vote.
Next steps described on the record: the sheriff must complete and submit the application before the June deadline; if awarded, details about procurement, storage and interagency use would return to the commissioners for any required approvals.
