DEFIANCE, Ohio — Defiance police have a new device that can help bring suspects in crisis and officers to a more peaceful resolution.
BolaWrap is a less-lethal device that fires a kevlar cord to restrain a person so officers can take them into custody safely.
"(It's used) at the elbows to get control of the arms if they're fighting or if they're trying to get away: the feet," patrol supervisor and BolaWrap instructor Lt. Scott Campbell said. "It's propelled by a blank .138 caliber round so that gives the explosion to allow the anchors to be projected out and spread apart to wrap around the suspect."
Since the department bought 13 BolaWraps in the spring, they've had three successful deployments on someone who was in crisis. One deployment was unsuccessful because the cord struck a bench, according to Chief Todd Shafer.
Two school resource officers also have one full-time.
Shafer believes the devices are worth the $1,000-a-unit price tag.
"If we can prevent officers being injured and those we're dealing with, especially in situations like suicide by cop, where we can bring that to a peaceful resolution and there's no further incident, that's invaluable to me," Shafer said.
Officers wouldn't typically use the device if someone was running away or if the person was using deadly force.
"I don't think there's an officer here that would go out without one," Campbell said.