Brownsville police add new device to their belts
BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — A local police department is getting a new addition to their utility belt.
The Brownsville Police Department is introducing a new and non-lethal way to detain individuals.
“Brownsville Police Department is getting trained up on the BolaWrap device. It is a remote restraint that we feel can be put out into the hands of an officer, and they can use that in an attempt to lessen the amount of force or even or even any force used,” said BolaWrap instructor Tim Szymanski.
The BolaWrap is a device that restricts your movement when fired.
Szymanski says it is equivalent to throwing handcuffs at a person from a distance.
“It is an 8-foot cavalier cord. It’s about 7-foot, 6-inches. It wraps around the person very, very fast, restricts their movement and then there are hooks that go into the clothing. So the clothing becomes part of your restraint,” Szymanski said.
This device can be especially helpful for those who experience mental health issues.
Assistant Chief Kelvin Evans says the devices costs around $900. However, he says if officers can detain an individual with little to nearly no force, it’s worth every penny.
“Once this was introduced we thought it would be a really good idea to add to our tools, and it’s a lot of incidents where we can use this thing without causing injury or death to anybody,” Evans said.
Evans says the department will roll out these devices either this week or next week. He says they will become a permanent addition to their utility belts.
“We’re having with people now, we’re encountering more mental health people and patients,” Evans said. “The taser will cause some, but the BolaWrap none at all.”
Szymanski says he’s hopeful that this device will better the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office began using the device last year as well.
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