Harpersville P.D. considering new non-lethal method to deal with some suspects

2 months ago 3

COMING UP IN THE SEVEN DAY FORECAST. ALL RIGHT. JASON. WELL, SOME CENTRAL ALABAMA LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES CONSIDERING A RELATIVELY NEW NON-LETHAL DEVICE TO ADD TO THEIR DUTY BELT. THIS IS CALLED BOLAWRAP. AND IT COULD COME IN HANDY WHEN OFFICERS ARE DEALING WITH MENTALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE. WVTM 13 LISA CRANE SHOWS US HOW THIS WORKS. WRAP. IT MAY SOUND LIKE A GUN, BUT THIS DEVICE LAUNCHES A ROPE THAT WRAPS AROUND A SUSPECT’S LEGS OR TORSO AND IMMOBILIZES THEM LONG ENOUGH FOR OFFICERS TO GET CONTROL. TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT’S ON THE END OF THAT ROPE. YOU CAN SEE THE BARBS HERE. THIS IS A NON-LETHAL DEVICE, BUT IF A SUSPECT TRIES TO RUN, THAT’S GOING TO HURT. BUT INJURIES WOULD BE MINOR. AND THAT’S WHY OFFICERS SAY THE BOLAWRAP IS NOT CONSIDERED A USE OF FORCE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STANDARDS. HARPERSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT HOSTED THIS PRESENTATION IN A TOWN OF UNDER 2000 RESIDENTS. THEY RARELY HAVE TO USE THEIR WEAPONS. WE’VE ACTUALLY HAD NO DOCUMENTED USES OF FORCE THIS YEAR, AND IT’S BEEN APPROXIMATELY A LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS SINCE WE’VE ACTUALLY HAD A TASER DEPLOYMENT. LIEUTENANT ROPER SAYS THIS COULD BE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED IN HARPERSVILLE TO DEAL WITH SUSPECTS WHO ARE MILDLY AGGRESSIVE OR PASSIVELY RESISTANT, AND REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH OFFICER COMMANDS. WE’RE PLANNING TO APPLY FOR SOME GRANT FUNDING AND WE’RE HOPING TO USE THIS IN A WAY THAT WE CAN EQUIP EACH OFFICER WITH THE SYSTEM, THE DEVICE WITH ACCESSORIES IS ABOUT $2,000. THAT’S ABOUT HALF THE COST OF A TASER. THE CASSETTES THAT HOLD THE ROPE THAT DEPLOYS ARE $60 EACH, BUT SOME OF THOSE COULD BE REPLACED FOR FREE IF THEY USE THE BOLAWRAP AND THEY SEND ME A COPY OF THEIR VIDEO, THEIR THEIR THEIR BODY CAM VIDEO OR WHATEVER. WE WILL GIVE THEM ANOTHER CASSETTE TO REPLACE THE ONE THA

Some Central Alabama law enforcement agencies considering a relatively new non-lethal device to add to their duty belt. It's called a BolaWrap and it could come in handy when officers are dealing with mentally impaired individuals.It may sound like a gun, but the device launches a rope that wraps around a suspect's legs or torso and immobilizes them long enough for officers to get control. On the end of that rope, there are barbs. It’s a non-lethal device, but if the suspect tries to run, it's going to hurt. But injuries would be minor, that's why officers said the BolaWrap is not considered a use of force by Department of Justice standards. Harpersville Police Department hosted the presentation. In a town of under 2,000 residents, they rarely have to use their weapons. Lt. Max Roper with Harpersville P.D. said, “We've actually had no documented uses of the force this year. And it's been approximately well over two years since we've actually had a taser deployment.” Lt. Roper said this could be exactly what they need in Harpersville to deal with suspects who are mildly aggressive or passively resistant and refuse to comply with officer commands. He added, “We're planning to apply for some grant funding. And we're hoping to use this in a way that we can equip each officer with the system.”The device with accessories cost about $2,000. That's about half the cost of a taser. The cassettes that hold the rope are $60 each, but some of those could be replaced for free. Stuart McConnell with Tactical Innovations said, “If they use the BolaWrap and they send me a copy of their video, their body cam video or whatever, we will give them another cassette to replace the one that they used.”

It may sound like a gun, but the device launches a rope that wraps around a suspect's legs or torso and immobilizes them long enough for officers to get control. On the end of that rope, there are barbs. It’s a non-lethal device, but if the suspect tries to run, it's going to hurt. But injuries would be minor, that's why officers said the BolaWrap is not considered a use of force by Department of Justice standards.

Harpersville Police Department hosted the presentation. In a town of under 2,000 residents, they rarely have to use their weapons. Lt. Max Roper with Harpersville P.D. said, “We've actually had no documented uses of the force this year. And it's been approximately well over two years since we've actually had a taser deployment.” Lt. Roper said this could be exactly what they need in Harpersville to deal with suspects who are mildly aggressive or passively resistant and refuse to comply with officer commands. He added, “We're planning to apply for some grant funding. And we're hoping to use this in a way that we can equip each officer with the system.”

The device with accessories cost about $2,000. That's about half the cost of a taser. The cassettes that hold the rope are $60 each, but some of those could be replaced for free. Stuart McConnell with Tactical Innovations said, “If they use the BolaWrap and they send me a copy of their video, their body cam video or whatever, we will give them another cassette to replace the one that they used.”

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