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During the European Police Chief Convention on September 26th in The Hague, the Dutch Police, in collaboration with Scopic_Labs, secured the Europol Excellence Awards in Innovation. This prestigious award falls under the category of 'Innovative Initiative in Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion.' The award-winning project is a partnership involving the Dutch police, the University of Twente, and Scopic_Labs. It revolves around using virtual reality (VR) in conjunction with deep fake technology to assess and address profiling within the police force.
The deepfake project was one of the 69 nominees from 18 different countries. In the presence of three hundred representatives from police forces across the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and the US, the consortium received the award at the Kunstmuseum in The Hague.
The winning project focuses on tackling ethnic profiling during police stops. Scopic_Labs has been collaborating with the police for several years, leveraging the capabilities of VR and deep fake technologies. Ethnic profiling during police stops is a recognized issue, where various factors such as clothing, posture, vehicle, skin color, and assumed ethnicity contribute to whether someone on the street is trusted or distrusted.
To gain more clarity on the role of ethnicity in police stops, Scopic_Labs developed VR experiences with deep faking. When wearing a VR headset, the user, in this case, a police officer, finds themselves in a lifelike situation. For instance, they might see a man on a scooter standing in the middle of a square, looking around. The officer must decide whether to approach and address the man or ignore him.
Deep fakes allow the replacement of the man's face, creating two conditions for a direct comparison of reactions in similar situations. VR's significant advantage is the ability to replay a scenario numerous times, eliminating excuses like ‘you weren't there' or 'this situation is slightly different from half an hour ago.' This not only clarifies whether ethnic profiling is occurring within police forces but also fosters reflection and discussion—something that was previously a taboo on this subject.
The learning capacity increases, as noted by Bas Böing, the VR project leader of the national police. He emphasizes that VR creates a realistic controlled and safe environment that officers can make decisions as they would in real life. This holds them accountable for their actions and allows open discussion about their choices for the purpose of learning.
Justin Karten, co-founder of Scopic_Labs, expresses delight at winning the international award. And he recognises the project's potential beyond the project itself. Unconscious racist behavior is prevalent not only within the police but also in various organizations. The award marks a beginning, with the aim of ultimately assisting government agencies and organizations globally, not just police services. It confirms that Scopic_Labs is on the right track with its tools.
Curious about what VR can do for your organization? Contact Scopic_Labs for more information or an introductory meeting. Looking forward to meet!