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Cheshire County OKs $80,000 Federal Award to Buy Apex VR Officer‑training Simulator
Summary
The commission accepted an $80,000 federal award – originally secured through a congressional directed spending request – to purchase a portable Apex Officer Pro virtual‑reality training simulator and fund roughly 600 hours of local law‑enforcement training.
Cheshire County commissioners voted to accept an $80,000 federal award to buy an Apex Officer Pro virtual‑reality training simulator intended to provide roughly 600 hours of training to about 150 officers across the county.
Suzanne Bansley explained the funding arrived via a congressionally directed spending request through a senator’s office and will be followed by a standard Department of Justice application and award‑acceptance steps. She said the award includes a modest amount for supplies and training materials.
Sheriff Eli Rivera described the system as mobile and customizable, able to run scenarios ranging from de‑escalation and mental‑health encounters to active‑shooter or corrections‑style simulations. Rivera outlined a train‑the‑trainer approach to create local instructors who could take the kit to small departments, schools or correctional facilities. "This will be a one of a kind, for the county," he said.
Commissioners raised questions about long‑term ownership, software updates and whether the county could charge other agencies to use the kit. Bansley noted federal rules affecting equipment purchased with grant funds and cautioned that ownership and reutilization options are constrained when equipment is acquired on federal awards; she recommended considering a county purchase if the goal were to create a revenue stream in the future.
The commission approved the award and authorized the sheriff and county administrator to execute grant documents in a sole‑source procurement of the Apex package.
What happens next: the county will complete award‑acceptance paperwork, schedule instructor training and track usage and outcomes as part of federal reporting requirements.
