"The capacity of this [Goulburn] facility has been exceeded due to an increasing number of recruits," the tender document states. Senior police say the lack of access to shooting ranges has resulted in some younger officers receiving so little practice that they are scared of using their guns.

Officers also claim their annual day-long firearms requalification training is inadequate, leaving them unprepared to use their weapons in dangerous situations. The criticisms come after the shooting of 48-year-old Susan Bandera in Sydney last month by a 35-year-old female constable who has been in the force for two years. Virtual ranges involve replica guns, complete with recoil, being "shot" at scenarios on a video screen, via wireless technology.

The force will pay $1 million for a building plus $850,000 for the computer system, which may be operational by September. "We have a lot of young cops who are scared of guns," a senior officer told The Sun-Herald.

"They are deployed most of the time and do not get enough access to training and other courses - it's a major problem." Another officer said the once-a-year requalification program was not enough: "It's amazing an innocent bystander hasn't been shot. We all know it's a pathetic level of training - command say it comes down to money and a lack of resources." Opposition police spokesman Michael Gallacher said officers should have more firearms training.

"These simulators are very advanced but quite simply nothing will replace live fire training needed to allow officers to learn how to use their weapons at a moment's notice," he said. "The idea of the training is to get a feel for the pressure of the situation of actually using the firearm that you're going to be issued. I'd be concerned we're now reducing live fire training and replacing it with the Nintendo Wii." Police Association spokesman Greg Black said the union supported virtual training as long as it did not replace live training.

Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy defended the force's training regimen, saying there would be no reduction in live training. "The use of a weapons simulator [will allow] NSW Police to train students more frequently in a more efficient and technologically advanced manner," he said. Mr Corboy said he had received no complaints about the yearly training program or officers being concerned about using their guns.