With law enforcement officers everywhere looking for new ways to keep officers and the public safe, Yancey County Sheriff’s Office has received a new tool to assist in detaining subjects who may be resisting arrest or those having a mental health crisis, such as those that can be drug induced.
Yancey County Sheriff’s Office received training in use of a new tool, called BoloWrap. A certified trainer from BoloWrap came for the demonstration, to showcase the tool’s ability and to train officers on the proper use and handling of the device. It can be compared to handcuffs, but a remote version that an officer can deploy on a subject. Officers load the cartridge into the device, aim with a green laser, and deploy the cord, wrapping the subject’s arms or legs in seconds.
“The goal is to de-escalate and use less force when the need arises. For the deputies on duty, trying to reduce officer injury, agency liability, and offender injury is our main goal,” says Chief Deputy Shane Hilliard. “The BoloWrap is not just a restraining device, but it also makes enough noise to surprise the subject, which gives an officer more time to safely end the situation. This type of “remote restraint” system provides less risk of injury to the subject as well as officers.”
The BoloWrap shoots an eight-foot long Kevlar cord, which will travel up to 25 feet and wrap itself around the ankles or mid torso of a subject who may be resisting arrest or be a danger to themselves or others. Officers will use the ‘remote restraint’ system as another means of restraining subjects without using pain to gain compliance.
