Community Outreach Spotlight
Building Community Engagement Through Gaming
Submitted by Deputy Summer McCray, public information officer with the Orange County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office.
The Orange County, Florida, Sheriff's Office's (OCSO) Mobile Video Game Theater (MVGT) is a state-of-the-art tool for promoting community engagement. Launched in 2022, the trailer is 37 feet long, weighs 10,000 pounds, has 11 screens, and is Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant. It is equipped with a PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox X, Nintendo Switch, and virtual reality consoles and is stocked with the latest video games. The rig can host up to 44 players at a time.
The theater’s portability makes it especially useful for community outreach. Our officers have visited local schools, parks, community centers, various community events, and many other locations. It has proved highly successful, allowing us to use gaming to engage with the youths in our community.
Gaming is an effective way to connect with young people. Interacting with police officers in an environment that is so familiar to many kids reaps huge benefits. The gaming rig is helping build trust between our deputies and the youths we serve. Law enforcement officers can model positive behaviors, build rapport, and encourage open dialog. These interactions foster stronger community relationships.
Orange County Sheriff John Mina was the driving force behind the acquisition of the MVGT. “Simply put, we have this so that we can engage with our community, especially our youths.”
A company out of North Carolina that provides a similar service helped us design and construct our rig. The $117,000 purchase price was covered using OCSO funds allotted to community relations projects.
Our gaming theater has created partnerships and relationships within our community. It helps put a humanizing face on our officers and gives our young people the opportunity to experience this kind of technology and have fun while interacting with law enforcement.
Deputy McCray can be reached at ocsopio@ocsofl.com.
