The Madrid City Council continues to strengthen the training of municipal security and emergency services and advances in a more modern, safe, and effective police training with the acquisition of a new state-of-the-art shooting simulator, presented today by the Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor, Inma Sanz, at the Integral Training Center for Security and Emergencies (CIFSE) of the City Council.
The CIFSE has recently acquired the shooting simulator for use by the training department of the Municipal Police Force of Madrid, aiming to improve the skills of the agents in shooting, using adapted firearms as well as electronic control devices (‘taser’, which municipal police officers have had since the end of 2020), through immersive and completely safe exercises recreated in the simulator based on real events to enhance police actions through experience.
Sanz: better means for essential municipal services
«From the municipal government, we continue to make efforts to provide the best means and resources to the city’s security and emergency services, as a commitment we have demonstrated year after year since José Luis Martínez-Almeida was sworn in as mayor of Madrid,» highlighted Sanz.
The new simulator allows for a wide range of scenarios (police interventions, conflict resolution, armed confrontations, decision-making in the face of threats, etc.) for municipal police officers to enhance their operational and tactical skills, enabling them to test and improve decision-making, correct errors, and enhance the learning curve. The instructor can also adjust the evolution of each exercise based on the agent’s response, adjusting the level of threat and eliciting adaptive reactions from the police in real-time.
Reality experience and drastic cost reduction
The reality experience is reflected both in the projection of images (real and in real-time) and in the use of adapted real firearms (which even have recoil kits that replicate the real operation of the weapon), achieving a more realistic learning environment, without risks, allowing agents to train with greater intensity and frequency. Training can be individual or in a team, and instructors can introduce possible situations (malfunctions in firearms, ammunition limitations, and even physical stimuli simulating stress in dangerous situations) to train incident resolution.
Practices can be recorded for later analysis, thus thoroughly reviewing aspects such as reaction times, movements, decision-making, etc., to accelerate learning and reinforce the safety of police officers in real situations.
The use of the simulator results in a drastic reduction in operating costs associated with training with real ammunition, although it does not replace such practices but complements them. Expenses on projectiles and, especially, charges for ‘taser’ devices are reduced, allowing for more practices without increasing the budget, making training more efficient and sustainable (an annual savings of around €50,000 is estimated). Furthermore, the simulator also improves the work environment from a health and environmental standpoint by eliminating exposure to toxic fumes and residues generated by detonations, particularly relevant for instructors.
The simulator (‘VirTra V-ST Pro HD’) was selected after a rigorous evaluation process for its high degree of functionality, reliability, and versatility, being one of the most advanced devices in the field of police training internationally. It was acquired for an amount of €449,000.
Over 600 police officers will train by the end of the year
The CIFSE expects that over 600 municipal police officers will train with this simulator by the end of the year in courses on electronic control devices and shooting techniques. The integration of this simulator into the center’s training program will be done progressively and structured, incorporating this tool into the main training activities related to firearms and ‘tasers’, including the training of new promotions, who will incorporate the simulator from their initial learning stage.
The City Council continues to strengthen the training of municipal security and emergency services (Municipal Police, SAMUR-Protection Civil, Madrid Fire Department, and Mobility Agents) at CIFSE. The planned hours for 2025 will be close to 778,000 (subject to promotion and new entry processes), representing an increase of 280,000 hours (56% more) compared to those conducted last year, when over 497,000 hours were taught. It is planned that over 28,000 students from the security and emergency services of the capital will attend CIFSE classrooms throughout this year to enhance their training and professional development in about 1,350 courses.
This year, CIFSE will carry out its training and professional development work for members of municipal security and emergency services with a budget of €7.7 million. Additionally, they have already begun construction on the new classroom building, with an investment of €13.5 million. /
