DeFuniak Springs police roll out new tool to restrain people without injury. Here’s how it works.

R&I – FS

Instead of “Taser! Taser!” police officers may soon be yelling “Bola! Bola!” in situations that call for quick, but non-lethal restraint.

The term is short for BolaWrap, a new restraint device purchased by the DeFuniak Springs Police Department in November. The hand-held tool deploys an 8-foot Kevlar tether to temporarily restrain subjects from a distance of 10 to 25 feet.

The device is about the same size as a taser, but poses much less risk to the detainee.

Lt. Phillip Austin, who oversees the department’s training division, said officers hope to use the tool in lieu of tasers to safely apprehend and take a person into custody or restrain them during a mental health crisis.

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The BolaWrap is solely a physical restraint. The Kevlar cord contains a small set of weighted hooks at each end. When the cord hits the subject, the hooks embedded in their clothing. The hooks can cause minor scrapes if a person is moving or struggling, but pose no other harm.

FoundingFrog

Article URL : https://news.yahoo.com/defuniak-springs-police-roll-tool-120232583.html