That's A Wrap (enter the BolaWrap)

 

Last night at our regular monthly meeting, the city council approved unanimously to appropriate a penny less than $2,100 (i.e., $2,099.99) given to the Chetek Police Department from the Law Enforcement Foundation of Barron County (LEFB) to purchase two bolawraps (and plenty of cartridges to fire them).

The LEFB is a non-profit local

organization (Law Enforcement Foundation of Barron County) that is dedicated to wherever they can pick-up the slack for Barron County police departments who have enough to fund their operations but not enough for other tools in their tool box that can make their job both safer and more effective. Last night, with the help of the LEFB, CPD picked up another gadget – or actually two – that if needed can help restrain a resisting subject without having to taze them. It's called the BolaWrap. As Chief Ambrozaitus put it, “it's like Wonder Woman's lasso without the truth”.

One of Wonder Woman's gadgets is
the lasso of truth

It seems like on a regular basis there's a story on national media outlets describing police having to detain a resisting suspect who is brandishing a knife and threatening to harm himself or others. These are potentially very dangerous encounters for both the suspect and officers. With a single shot, however, they can be temporarily immobilized allowing police the extra seconds they need to disarm them.

Here are two videos – one for promotional purposes – and the other (following the council meeting last night) of Chief A allowing Officer Breidenbach to use him as a guinea pig to demonstrate to the council how it works. (“It's the only time she will be allowed to do this,” Chief says). 

Just like any other device the police employ officers have to be certified in the proper use of it and each member of the department has already been so certified. While we can hope our officers rarely have to use the device, it's good to know they have it should the need arise. Ultimately, we want our men and women in blue to get home safely after their shift is over and those who are resisting arrest be detained in the most humane way possible.