Cape Coral police now have safer, non-lethal device on hand

Reporter: Gail Levy Writer: Jackie Winchester
Published: Updated:

Cape Coral police have a new device to help them catch the bad guys.

The BolaWrap is a remote restraint device that’s safer for everyone involved.

If a peaceful protest turns into a chaotic riot, police must be prepared.

“Being able to do our jobs without injuring people is essential,” said Sgt. Patrick O’Grady with the CCPD.

While riots are rare, police answer calls for help every day. So, they’re trying out a new tool that can stop someone without hurting him.

The BolaWrap shoots out a rope from a handheld device to whichever body part is being aimed at with a laser. The goal is to have the rope wrap around someone’s arms or legs. It’s much safer than a Taser.

“We would use this for something that is non-lethal, so maybe somebody that we might be Baker acting, they might have mental issues that are happening, they may be suicidal,” O’Grady explained.

I think with that option added to it, it just gives them another way to deal with the situation where it’s not a negative outcome,” said Chris Maslowski when he heard of the new tool.

Susan Suprling-Marcus agrees. “I think anything that the police can use to help when they need to make an arrest, especially if somebody is being difficult, it’s good.”

Cape Coral PD is the first in Southwest Florida to test the BolaWrap, which is $700 per device.

“It could definitely help save lives, not just ours, it could save multiple people’s lives,” O’Grady said.

The company that makes BolaWrap says if an officer somehow shoots the rope around someone’s neck, it won’t choke that person.

There are 220 law enforcement agencies nationwide using BolaWrap. In Florida, some of those include Miami-Dade, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, West Palm Beach and Sarasota.

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