PREPARED BY: JAMES LAUGHTER DATE OF MEETING: 12/15/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION APPROPRIATING $122,935 FROM SUPPLEMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES GRANT REVENUES SLESF 210 FUND FOR THE PURCHASE AND PROCUREMENT OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING SYSTEM FROM OPERATOR XR LLC
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Community Policing and Strengthen Technological Infrastructure to Enhance Law Enforcement under the Public Safety Policy Area are adopted policy items contained in the FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan, effective April 7, 2025.
BACKGROUND
Funding Source
The Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant is a mandated grant as defined by Government Code Section 30061(b)(3)(i) wherein the County is required to remit a minimum of $100,000 annually to the City to be spent on frontline law enforcement. These grant revenues have accumulated and are available for appropriation by the City Council.
Following appropriation of funds by the City Council for eligible frontline law enforcement purposes, any expenditures must comply with the City’s purchasing policy.
Virtual Reality Training
Law enforcement virtual reality (VR) training provides an innovative and immersive approach to enhancing officer preparedness, decision-making, and communication skills in a controlled and realistic environment. Through advanced simulation technology, officers can safely experience and respond to a wide range of real-world scenarios- from crisis intervention and de-escalation to tactical/critical incident management. This form of training allows for immediate feedback and scenario repetition, helping officers refine their judgement and responses without the risks associated with live training exercises.
Police Department’s Regional Training Center
Virtual reality training will be made available to neighboring law enforcement agencies through the Department’s Regional Training Center. This initiative enhances the Police Department’s training capabilities while providing access to an innovative resource that promotes regional consistency in best practices, strengthens interagency collaboration, and advances the shared mission of improving public safety through modern, evidence-based training methods.
Operator XR LLC Virtual Reality Training Systems
Operator XR LLC is a company that builds immersive VR training systems designed specifically for law enforcement agencies. Operator XR is in contract with over 100 law enforcement agencies and offers proprietary software that:
• Customizable Scenarios- can build or adapt scenarios in real time;
• Tablet Run Scenarios- Allows instructors to be present within the training environment;
• Sketch Tool- Allows for the creation or addition of scenario blueprints;
• Training Area- Software allows the use of 35 square feet to 10,000 square feet of training space;
• Force-on-Force Training Option- Real time scenario transformation from community contact to tactical situation;
• Insert of Live Actor- Allows for a “live” actor to become a VR role player
• Body Tracking- Cutting edge technology that generates a virtual avatar for every trainee;
• Multiple Users- Allows up to 8 trainees to interact in the scene VR scenario; and
• Multiple View Options- After action review of the scenario provides multiple view options for critique purposes.
After reviewing three competitive proposals/demonstrations, the Department selected Operator XR LLC to due to its advanced software capabilities at a total cost of $122,935. The total cost includes a three year warranty of software and wearable equipment, professional training by Operator XR staff, and software maintenance.
Procurement
Staff recommends exempting these procurements from the City’s competitive bidding requirements under San Pablo Municipal Code Sections 3.16.110(B) and 3.16.110(C). These sections allow exemptions when specialized services are integrated with proprietary equipment requiring expert installation, configuration, and maintenance, and when the software or system components are uniquely available from a sole source vendor.
Operator XR provides proprietary technology and specialized integration services that are essential for “real-life” law enforcement training scenarios within a safe environment. Based on the factors listed above, staff concludes that competitive bidding would not serve the public interest or yield a meaningful advantage.
Staff recommends the City Council approve the sole-source procurement from Operator XR to ensure high level law enforcement training within a virtual environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
This action has no impact on the City’s General Fund, however it will reduce the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant Fund (210) by $122,935, for appropriation to Account 210-2110-46300 to fund this purchase.
PUBLIC SAFETY STANDING COMMITTEE
On April 17, 2025, staff presented the Operator XR purchase to the Public Safety Standing Committee (Vice Mayor Pabon-Alvarado & Councilmember Xavier). The funding sources for this procurement was identified from the Supplemental Law Enforcement Services Grant (SLESF). The committee recommended this procurement request be forwarded to the City Council for formal approval.
ATTACHMENTS
Att. A - Resolution
Att. B - Operator XR Quote