Police Simulator: Patrol Officers News

The Self-Defense Update Launches on September 17, 2025 – Open Beta starts NOW!

[p][/p][p]Fellow Officers, [/p][p]one of the most anticipated additions to Police Simulator is coming soon: Introducing The Self-Defense Update, launching September 17 across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox![/p][p]This update contains:[/p]

[p]🔫 Gun Usage[/p]
[p]🔦 Spotlights as Gadgets[/p]
[p]🔊 Radio Chatter in the background[/p]
[p]🔄️ Swapping Uniforms in the Trunk[/p]
[p]... and more![/p]

[p]Even better: The Open Beta starts... now! Let's take a closer look 👇[/p][p][/p][h3]How do I join the Open Beta?[/h3][p][/p][p]But first, let's get the most important details out of your way: You want to try out the update before it releases? No worries, it's incredibly simple to join:[/p]

[p]Open Steam and go to your Library [/p]
[p]Right-click on Police Simulator: Patrol Officers [/p]
[p]Click Properties [/p]
[p]Select the Betas tab [/p]
[p]Choose "Open_Beta" from the dropdown list [/p]

[p]Steam will now download the update. Once complete, you’re in! Afterwards, you can download the game to try out Update 19.0![/p][p]If you encounter any issues, please share them in the #police-beta-chat channel on our Discord. You can also use our dedicated Beta Forums.[/p][p][/p][h3]What's included in The Self-Defense Update?[/h3][p]Well, the name of the update delivers all the fun already: We're finally introducing Gun Usage![/p][p]In a recent blog post, we already explained the functionality in quite some detail. If you haven't had the chance to look into it, here's a comprehensive rundown![/p][p]Right from the very beginning, we envisioned the use of a service weapon as a method of last resort. After all, the officers working in the Brighton Police Department have sworn to serve all citizens – fairly, in alignment with the law, and with justice.[/p][p][/p][p]Currently, the service weapon can only be used in a very narrow scope. For example, you are allowed to draw and aim it at car thieves to force them to surrender. Other scenarios usually require different means, such as the stun gun or a swift tackle. Even just aiming at a citizen with your weapon will cause the loss of Conduct Points. In any case, you’ve never been allowed to shoot your weapon.[/p][p]With Update 19.0, a new level of danger arrives that actually requires the use of your gun, turning it into an useful tool inside your arsenal. Yes, indeed, you’re even allowed to shoot it! The use of your hand gun comes into play once all other forms of de-escalation have been exhausted. Let's explain![/p][p]When you approach a criminal, their level of danger is constantly influenced by a randomizer. This may cause some citizens to flee, carry an illegal weapon in their inventory, or trigger other variables. Now, every criminal has a chance to be spawned as a particularly dangerous criminal – leading to a handgun in their inventory and them turning into an armed criminal. The City of Brighton is becoming way more dangerous![/p][p][/p][p]This can happen at any point where a criminal NPC would usually decide to flee: if the randomizer determines that they are at a high criminal level, they may draw their weapon – otherwise, they simply start fleeing. This means: A car thief, a drug dealer, even a wanted NPC can turn into someone drawing a handgun, which will require you to draw your own weapon in return! But they may also just flee, which only requires lighter measures instead.[/p][p]When an armed criminal draws a weapon, you will be notified by the game – and immediate action must be taken. The NPC will be marked with an outline, indicating the current level of threat:[/p]

[p]Yellow Outline: You're aiming at the armed criminal who has drawn their gun. You will now demand them to surrender. If they comply, they will drop their weapon, lie down, and you can handcuff them. If not, you are not yet allowed to shoot – doing so will not end the shift but will cause the loss of CP. It can take some time for the NPC to surrender as they might verbally resist.[/p]
[p]Red Outline: The armed criminal refuses to surrender and is now an active threat. You are now allowed to shoot! The criminal has a chance to shoot at the player – but doesn't have to. After every shot you take, they may either turn into an injured NPC or drop their weapon and surrender. If the armed criminal is injured, first aid must be administered and an ambulance must be called for further proceedings.[/p]

[p]Please note that you can deactivate the outline in the settings![/p][p]As described, you can also be shot by the armed criminal! After a maximum of three hits, you will become critically injured and your shift will automatically end as you need to recover. Act fast and decisively to protect yourself and everyone else![/p][p]In addition, the citizens of Brighton may now carry a Concealed Weapons Permit with them. This allows a citizen to actually carry a weapon instead of the previous note that was visible on their ID.[/p][p][/p][h3]Even more great features![/h3][p]We're also introducing several other great new features which you have been recommending for a while! One of them is the re-implementation of spotlights – but this time, they're a proper gadget. This means, you can equip them to any car and use them throughout your shift through the gadget wheel, instead of being limited to the Matrix Sign.[/p][p]We're also implementing Radio Chatter that will be audible in the background of your patrol car. This way, we're providing more ambience and immersion, making the world feel much more alive.[/p][p]You're outside the precinct but still want to swap your uniform? No problem – this is now possible right from the trunk of your patrol car as a handy shortcut! First, you'll need to choose a pre-set of individual uniforms but afterwards, they're selectable as a set from your trunk![/p][p]There’s also a new way to remove vehicles from the street by calling for backup, you’re now able to arrest injured NPCs before they’re taken by EMS, and other helpful changes.[/p][p][/p][h3]Coming September 17: The Accident Skin Pack![/h3][p][/p][p]Stay visible, stay ready – with the Accident Pack, coming September 17! This DLC has everything you need to handle accident scenes confidently. Included are reflective clothing, an optional orange lightbar for your police car, the Multipurpose Responder Vehicle equipped with a bigger trunk for transporting more tools, and police vehicle skins that indicate you're taking care of the accident response. [/p][p]The Accident Pack will be released as a paid DLC and will be included for free in the Season Pass. If you haven't checked it out yet, we recommend doing so as it's by far the best deal if you want to be prepared for additional content we will release later this year:[/p][h3] [dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/h3][h3]Also coming: Three beautiful Uniform Packs![/h3][p][/p][p]Bring the style of the US Police Officers to your next shift! We're introducing three absolutely iconic Uniform Pack DLC, each containing a set of different uniforms inspired by actual police forces from the United States.[/p][p]The East Coast Police Uniform Pack contains 5 uniforms from New York City, New Hampshire, and Fairfax County. [/p][p]The South Atlantic Police Uniform Pack contains 6 uniforms from Florida, Georgia, and West Virginia.[/p][p]The Western Police Uniform Pack contains 6 uniforms from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Austin.[/p][p]Please note that the Uniform Packs are not part of the Season Pass and must be purchased separately. However, we have created a bundle that will contain all three packs at a discounted price.[/p][p]The Uniform Packs will also release September 17![/p][p][/p][h3]Some final words[/h3][p]That’s all for now, jump into the Open Beta today, and let us know what you think! Thank you so much for your support and stay tuned for what’s next! 💙[/p][p]And that said, here are today's patch notes:[/p][p][/p][h3]Changelog – Update 19.0 (Beta)[/h3][p]New Features, Improvements & Content[/p]

[p]Added Self-Defense[/p]
[p]Added Gun Usage by NPCs[/p]
[p]Added Spotlights as Gadgets[/p]
[p]Added a feature to change Uniforms from the Patrol Car Trunk[/p]
[p]Added additional permits and new weapons[/p]
[p]Added radio chatter inside the patrol cars[/p]

[p]Bug Fixes[/p][p]Gameplay[/p]

[p]Fixed uniform settings reverting to default after restarting and continuing shift[/p]

[p]Stability & Performance[/p]

[p]Fixed game momentarily freezing upon entering any shift before resuming normally[/p]

[p]NPC & NPV[/p]

[p]Fixed injured witnesses in crime scenes can not be interviewed[/p]
[p]Fixed Medics trying to walk into slightly injured NPCs[/p]
[p]Fixed arrest transport officer not entering the Police Station to retrieve arrested NPC[/p]
[p]Fixed arrest transport officer not walking back to their vehicle[/p]

[p]Patrol Cars & Gadgets[/p]

[p]Fixed blipping uses same sequence as ELS[/p]

[p]Graphics & Game World[/p]

[p]Fixed towing animation when NPC is handcuffed while vehicle is towed[/p]
[p]Fixed dashboard reflections in some cars during first person[/p]
[p]Fixed several issues with grass on Highway[/p]
[p]Fixed various visual glitches[/p]

[p]UI[/p]

[p]Adjusted the camera within the garage when changing Stickers to allow for a better preview[/p]
[p]Changed Ninja Stars to Throwing Stars[/p]

[p]Your Police Simulator Team

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

State of Development – Gun Usage is coming next month!

[p][/p][p]Fellow Officers,[/p][p]yes, you've read the title correctly: One of the most frequently requested features is actually coming to Police Simulator. With Update 19.0, scheduled to arrive this September, we're finally introducing Gun Usage![/p][p]Today, we want to share some first information about the scope of the update, the limitations of your service weapon, and a fair share of behind-the-scenes details.[/p][p]Let's take a closer look![/p][p][/p][h3]How Gun Usage will look like in PS:PO[/h3][p][/p][p]From the very beginning, we envisioned the use of a service weapon as a method of last resort. After all, the officers working in the Brighton Police Department have sworn to serve all citizens – fairly, in alignment with the law, and with justice.[/p][p]Currently, the service weapon can only be used in a very narrow scope. For example, you are allowed to draw and aim it at car thieves to force them to surrender. Other scenarios usually require different means, such as the stun gun or a swift tackle. Even just aiming at a citizen with your weapon will cause the loss of Conduct Points. In any case, you’ve never been allowed to shoot your weapon.[/p][p]With Update 19.0, a new level of danger arrives that actually requires the use of your gun, turning it into an useful tool inside your arsenal. You’re even allowed to shoot it! The use of your hand gun comes into play once all other forms of de-escalation have been exhausted. Let's explain![/p][p][/p][p]When you approach a criminal, their level of danger is constantly influenced by a randomizer. This may cause some citizens to flee, carry an illegal weapon in their inventory, or trigger other variables. Now, every criminal has a chance to be spawned with an extraordinarily high level of criminal activity – leading to a handgun in their inventory and them turning into an armed criminal. The City of Brighton is becoming way more dangerous![/p][p]This can happen at any point where a criminal NPC would usually decide to flee: if the randomizer determines that they are at a high criminal level, they may draw their weapon – otherwise, they simply start fleeing. This means: A car thief, a drug dealer, even a wanted NPC can turn into someone drawing a handgun, which will require you to draw your own weapon in return! But they may also just flee, which only requires lighter measures instead.[/p][p][/p][p]When an armed criminal draws a weapon, you will be notified by the game – and immediate action must be taken. The NPC will be marked with an outline, indicating the current level of threat:[/p]

[p]Yellow Outline: You're aiming at the armed criminal who has drawn their gun. You will now demand them to surrender. If they comply, they will drop their weapon, lie down, and you can handcuff them. If not, you are not yet allowed to shoot – doing so will not end the shift but will cause the loss of CP. It can take some time for the NPC to surrender as they might verbally resist.[/p]
[p]Red Outline: The armed criminal refuses to surrender and is now an active threat. You are now allowed to shoot! The criminal has a chance to shoot at the player – but doesn't have to. After every shot you take, they may either turn into an injured NPC or drop their weapon and surrender. If the armed criminal is injured, first aid must be administered and an ambulance must be called for further proceedings.[/p]

[p]As described, you can also be shot by the armed criminal! After a maximum of three hits, you will become critically injured and your shift will automatically end as you need to recover. Act fast and decisively to protect yourself and everyone else![/p][p][/p][h3]Setting expectations right[/h3][p]To be clear: Police Simulator will not suddenly turn into a third-person shooter. The introduction of an actual purpose for the service weapon changes the nature of the game in various aspects, requiring careful consideration across multiple areas. However, we believe we found the perfect balance that’s both fun and realistic![/p][p]After all, we’re still a simulation game that realistically covers the daily life of your average patrol officer.[/p][p] [/p][h3]Why did this feature not release earlier?[/h3][p]Well, that’s a valid question! As described a while ago in a comprehensive blog post, we encountered several hurdles we needed to overcome first. The most difficult aspect, however, was definitely the already issued age rating for the game.[/p][p]Currently, Police Simulator is rated as a game suited for teenagers, primarily because scenarios requiring gun usage are not present. But what happens if this suddenly changes? It should be no surprise that there is a risk of the age rating being raised – causing incredibly complex legal problems with people who bought the game when it still had the lower rating (not to mention the logistical nightmares of all retail copies).[/p][p]That's why we created several prototypes of the Gun Usage feature, tweaked countless variables, and adjusted many aspects after our initial talks with all relevant age rating agencies around the globe. Ultimately, we sent out a version we were really satisfied with – and that met our vision of fun, action, and a sense of danger. While most agencies passed our implementation without any problems, others actually required us to pursue a complete re-rating of the entire game.[/p][p]Good news, though: We have passed![/p][p] [/p][h3]Changes on the timeline[/h3][p]As mentioned previously, the next update with version number 19.0 will now be fully focused on Gun Usage. This, of course, means a change in the previously communicated development timeline![/p][p]The Mission Update, which was originally intended to be released as Update 19.0 in September, will now be part of Update 20.0 in October. All details about the new missions will be released at a later date.[/p][p]The new timeline is now also available on Trello.[/p][p][/p][h3]More details soon![/h3][p]As we intend to release the Gun Usage Update in September, you can expect to try out the feature as part of our usual Open Beta beforehand. Please expect the Open Beta to be launched in early September.[/p][p]At that point, we will also reveal more details about the full update, a fixed release date, and additional footage![/p][p]Thank you so much for your support – we hope you’re already excited for the next update when it launches this September![/p][p][/p][p]Your Police Simulator Team[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p][/p]

Update 18.2

[p][/p][p]To help shorten the wait for our upcoming Major Update, we're releasing an additional Bug Fix Patch.
We’re also actively working on further bug fixes and improvements that will be included in the next patches.[/p][p]
Stay tuned – we’re excited to share more details about Update 19.0 very soon![/p][p] [/p][h3]Changelog: [/h3][p]Improvements[/p]

[p]Lights adjusted for Morning Shifts[/p]

[p]Bugfixes[/p]

[p]Fixed Possessing Bag of Heroin is unjustified when NPC is carrying it[/p]
[p]Fixed Custom ELS pattern don't work with Unmarked Lightbars[/p]
[p]Fixed Driver of vehicle is car surfing[/p]
[p]Fixed crash when audio system cannot spawn sound[/p]
[p]Fixed APV modding issues[/p]
[p]Fixed Impossible to Focus on NPV/NPC while inside APV[/p]
[p]Fixed Player gets stuck momentarily in damaged APV door[/p]
[p]Fixed APV unavailable with season pass[/p]
[p]Fixed -CP when surrendering the thief during the "Catch the Thief" Event[/p]
[p]Fixed -CP when Ticketing during Parking Bus Stop[/p]
[p]Fixed APV sounds are too loud, needs balancing[/p]
[p]Fixed APV Bullbar attachment further fixed[/p]
[p]Fixed vehicle gets set wrong initial rotation when exiting garage[/p]
[p]Fixed car gets stuck when exiting Bannock garage[/p]
[p]Fixed MS Store is unable to join MP Sessions[/p]
[p]Fixed ELS not bright enough during Morning shifts[/p]
[p]Fixed Missing Blackbird Theatre in North Point[/p]

[p]Localization Issue Fixes[/p]

[p]Fixed Looking Direction Tooltip Is Not Localized[/p]
[p]Fixed DUI & Possessing Drugs Localiation for Traditional Chinese, Japanese Korean & Polish[/p]
[p]Fixed DUI localization in korean, spanish, french[/p]
[p]Fixed Liability Reason Tooltip not localized[/p]

Hotfix Update 18.1.1

[p] [/p][h3]Changelog – Hotfix Update 18.1.1[/h3]

[p]Fixed APV Tablet not working in first person[/p]
[p]Fixed APV Attachments not working correctly[/p]
[p]Fixed game crashing while starting a new game after returning from gameplay[/p]
[p]Fixed the leave session button being unresponsive in a Multiplayer session[/p]
[p]Fixed PC & PlayStation clients not receiving any invites if invited from a Public Multiplayer session[/p]
[p]Fixed being unable to invite friends into private multiplayer session[/p]
[p]Fixed client crashes while joining multiplayer Session[/p]
[p]Fixed multiple multiplayer joining issues on Xbox[/p]

[p]
[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p]

Out now: The Quality-of-Life Update & Adventurer Police Vehicle!

[p][/p][p]Fellow Officers, [/p][p]several improvements, a bunch of bug fixes, and a lot of polishing: The Quality-of-Life Update is now available across PC, PlayStation & Xbox![/p][p]All changes have been inspired by your feedback and we couldn't be more grateful for that. Thank you everyone![/p][p]But now, let's take a closer look at the update![/p][p][/p][h3]In Short: What’s included?[/h3][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]This update is centered around making your overall gameplay experience smoother, more convenient, and more reliable. The changes we made are based on several community surveys we’ve conducted over the last few months.[/p]

[p]🗨️ Skip NPC Conversations[/p]
- [p]Press 'Space': No need to listen to their full voice-over anymore![/p]
[p]🔴 CP Loss Fixes[/p]
- [p]Across the board, we have resolved several problems with unjustified CP Loss. [/p]
[p]📷 New Camera Control Option: A floating camera mode is now available within the settings![/p]
- [p]Head over to "Settings > Game > Camera > Looking Direction" to check it out![/p]
[p]💊 New illegal items and drugs[/p]
- [p]Citizens can now be under the influence of several other substances, and carry around some truly dangerous objects![/p]
[p]🛣️ New Highway Turns[/p]
- [p]This allows for more options for U-Turns and shorter distances in case you need to change to the opposite lane.[/p]
[p]🚔 Catpaw Skin Collection #2[/p]
- [p]New patrol car skins inspired by New York City, West Virginia, Georgia, and Los Angeles, created by ricobrzenska and Kittyraww![/p]
[p]🚘 NPCs get picked up by Tow Trucks[/p]
- [p]Citizens will now be picked up by a tow truck if their car gets towed: NPCs will enter it and drive off.[/p]
[p]🚨 Brighter ELS during day and night[/p]
[p]🪲 Bug Fixes: Check out the full changelog further down below![/p]

[p][/p][p][/p][h3]Introducing: The Adventurer Police Vehicle[/h3][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Get behind the wheel of the ultimate SUV and enjoy cruising in a true symbol of American power and reliability: The Adventurer Police Vehicle! Whether you're patrolling the streets of Brighton or going offroad in the wider state of Franklin, the APV offers a truly unique experience.[/p][p]Please note: There's currently a bug present where certain attachments do not work correctly. We have a hotfix already in the build pipeline which will release as soon as possible.[/p][p][/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]The Adventurer Police Vehicle is included for free in the Season Pass! If you haven't checked it out yet, we recommend doing so as it's by far the best deal if you want to be prepared for additional content we will release later this year:[/p][p][/p][h3] [dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/h3][p][/p][h3]What's next?[/h3][p]As we have previously confirmed, we have temporarily removed the spotlights on all patrol cars as we plan to ship them as a proper gadget in the future. This way, you can enable them during your shift independently from the Matrix Sign and also have an additional customization option. The spotlights will come back as soon as possible - thank you for your continued patience![/p][p]While we would normally reveal the content of the next update at this point already, we can't do it yet as we're still preparing some exciting and frequently-requested features. We're sorry that we can't reveal them at this point but would ask you to stay tuned, it won't take much longer![/p][p]Thank you so much for your support and we hope you’re excited to check out The Quality-of-Life Update! But for now, let's take a good look at the official changelog of this update:[/p][p][/p][h3]Changelog – Update 18.0[/h3][p]New Features, Improvements & Content[/p]

[p]Added new camera mode for freely floating camera[/p]
[p]Added new illegal items and drug states[/p]
[p]Added NPCs entering the Tow Truck when their car gets towed[/p]
[p]Added possibility to skip conversations[/p]
[p]Added some new U-Turns on Highway[/p]
[p]Made ELS brighter during day and night[/p]
[p]Added four new skins powered by ricobrzenska and Kittyraww and inspired by New York City, West Virginia, Georgia, and Los Angeles![/p]