The Orange County Sheriff’s Department in California is currently exploring the potential of using Apple‘s latest tech innovation, the Apple Vision Pro, as a cutting-edge tool for surveillance and possibly even for patrolling officers in the near future.

For those unfamiliar, the Apple Vision Pro is Apple’s leap into the world of spatial computing. It’s a unique blend of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). The headset allows users to interact with the digital world by overlaying virtual elements onto the real one (AR), or immersing themselves fully into a digital space (VR). Now, it seems, police departments are considering this high-tech gadget for something a bit more serious: surveillance.

According to Forbes, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department is in talks with Apple to explore how the Vision Pro could fit into their operations. Not only that, they’re also looking into how CarPlay—Apple’s in-car interface—could be integrated into their police cruisers. Dave Fontneau, the Chief Information Officer of the Sheriff’s Department, has been vocal about the department’s efforts and how he envisions the future of law enforcement tech.

In August, the police department got their hands on a Vision Pro demo to see how it might work in a real-world scenario. Fontneau himself was one of the officers who tested the device.

“I was able to put on the headset and transport myself into the environment and manipulate different aspects,” Fontneau shared in an interview. “I was able to manipulate maps and bring them up in a 3D environment, move assets, place officers in vehicles, and manipulate camera feeds. It was eye opening.”

That’s a lot of power in a pair of goggles. However, there are still some hurdles. As Fontneau pointed out, the current Vision Pro is still too bulky and heavy for officers to use comfortably while on patrol. Apple, however, may have hinted at a lighter version in the works, though this is far from official. Fontneau’s comments suggest the company could be giving law enforcement an inside look at its product roadmap—a rare move for the usually tight-lipped tech giant.

For now, the Vision Pro would be used mainly in the office, as a tool for officers to analyze surveillance data and maps, all while seated comfortably at a desk. But, the vision (pun intended) for the future is clear: a lighter version of the headset could be worn by officers in the field, feeding them live data as they patrol, turning the streets into an augmented reality of crime-fighting potential.

It’s a concept that feels ripped straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster. If you’ve ever seen movies like Robocop or played video games like Heavy Rain, the idea of cops using futuristic tech to solve crimes feels eerily familiar. The prospect of officers with AR-equipped goggles is exciting but also raises questions about privacy and the overreach of surveillance technology.

It’s not just Orange County that’s interested either. Other departments are catching wind of this idea. Investigative journalist Joey Scott revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that the LA Police Foundation confirmed plans to spend $20,000 on Apple Vision Pros for surveillance. Clearly, this isn’t just a niche experiment—it’s something law enforcement nationwide is keeping an eye on.

While the Vision Pro hasn’t set the tech world on fire like the iPhone or Apple Watch, it has sparked renewed interest in AR and VR. A second-generation Vision Pro might be more than a year away, but the potential advancements it could bring might just make or break Apple’s foray into spatial computing.

For now, you won’t be seeing cops wearing Apple’s $3,499 goggles on the streets. But the thought of law enforcement walking around with augmented reality glasses is intriguing—and possibly a little unsettling.

Also, is anyone else thinking about what a police procedural TV show shot entirely in immersive VR might look like? That idea just went from “never going to happen” to “coming soon,” thanks to Vision Pro.