Abstract

This paper uses exploratory focus groups to examine stakeholders’ perceptions of how immersive technologies, such as Extended Reality (XR) and Virtual Reality (VR), can be integrated into police education to better prepare students for complex policing practice. Five focus groups were conducted with 29 stakeholders from Higher Education (HE) institutions, policing, and partner organisations across the UK. The paper presents stakeholders’ perceptions of the pedagogical potential of immersive technologies, identifies policing scenarios most suited to immersive simulation, and examines the institutional and technological challenges associated with XR/VR implementation. Findings highlight both strong perceived pedagogical value and significant implementation constraints, particularly around organisational readiness, ethics, and infrastructure