Former Atlanta and Louisville police chief will lead organizational growth
ATLANTA — InVeris Training Solutions, Inc., the leading provider of technology-driven training solutions for defense forces, law enforcement agencies and commercial shooting range owners around the globe, has expanded its executive leadership team with the hire of former Atlanta and Louisville Police Chief Erika Shields as Chief Commercial Officer.
Shields brings decades of management experience to InVeris, along with a focus on using InVeris’ simulation technology to help law enforcement officers across the country make better decisions in their field. Shields will work with leadership in the military and law enforcement agencies as they leverage the company’s virtual reality and augmented reality products to improve split-second decision-making and protect our communities.
“The technology InVeris has is superb, and it brings to the table what police chiefs across the country are looking for,” said Shields. “This product allows law enforcement and military personnel to train on a regular basis in real-life scenarios with feedback focused on de-escalation and improving outcomes.”
Shields began her law enforcement career in 1995 with the Atlanta Police Department, ultimately serving as Chief of Police from 2016 to 2020. She became Louisville (Ky.) Chief of Police in 2021 and led the Louisville Police Department until earlier this year.
“Erika shares our mission, which is focused on solving our customers’ essential training needs in ways that ultimately foster a safer environment on the job and in the communities they serve,” said InVeris CEO Clyde Tuggle. “Throughout her law enforcement career, she has embraced and leveraged technology solutions to train officers, track crime trends and, ultimately, keep our cities safer. We are excited to welcome Erika to InVeris and will rely on her vast leadership experience to ensure we continue to provide innovative and cutting-edge training products and services that best support the military and law enforcement industries.”
Shields joins InVeris Training Solutions at a vital time in its 95-year history, as the company expands its virtual training solutions to better meet the needs of a rapidly-changing industry. In late 2022, InVeris introduced SVR 3.3, which enhances trainees’ performance and judgment skills through providing instructors with biometric insight into a trainee’s stress levels during these training scenarios, which can be used to further understand trainees’ mental and emotional abilities to cope and interact during various real-world events.
“Erika has a depth of experience that makes her perfectly suited to understand the needs and challenges of leaders in this industry,” said InVeris Board Chair and former U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss. “Her voice will resonate with those who are charged with directing the nation’s preeminent law enforcement agencies, as well as our dedicated members of the military, who work tirelessly to build safer communities.”
Shields has seen the value of this technology-driven approach, which leverages virtual reality, augmented reality and projection systems for law enforcement training.
“The ability to re-create the stressors that go into every scenario where officers have to shift gears so quickly, that is so crucial to every officer on a beat,” she said. “You really have to get an officer conditioned to understand they have to take so many factors into account – most importantly, their stress level – to make the correct decision.
“Developing this level of understanding leads to fewer incidents and a safer community and country.”
About InVeris
InVeris Training Solutions, a Pine Island Capital Partners company, is the leading provider of technology-driven training solutions for defense forces, law enforcement agencies and commercial shooting range owners around the globe. Building off nearly a century of experience, InVeris technology powers live fire and virtual weapons training systems that have been proven to improve speed, accuracy, judgment in the use of force, and overall combat ability while reducing training time, logistics, and cost. Headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia, InVeris employs nearly 400 people at facilities in the United States, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Qatar, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.inveristraining.com or call (800) 813-9046.