BolaWrap, a tool used to immobilize alleged criminals, is expanding throughout law enforcement in Tampa Bay.
In 2021, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office undertook an initiative to improve policing outcomes in the local community, particularly during mental health crisis scenarios.
The sheriff's office has more than 330 devices in the field and has already purchased an additional 75 wraps that are awaiting deputy assignment.
Seen as an innovation in the space, the remote restraint tool uses a laser to shoot out a Kevlar cord of up to 25 feet in length, wrapping the cord around the target's arms, legs or torso, offering officers an alternative to use-of-force methods.
"The device was created with the thought of situations where verbal commands don't work and a suspect needs to be detained without forceful methods," said BolaWrap CEO Kevin Mullins. "Placing this tool in an officer's belt prevents using tasers, batons and other harmful weapons."
The Tempe, Ariz. parent company Wrap Technologies Inc. was initially funded through private investment before being listed on Nasdaq in 2017 (WRAP).
As the demand for more non-lethal options for law enforcement grows, Mullins talked about the plans for the company.
"Looking forward, agencies are trying to decrease risk exposure and are also dealing with difficulty in recruitment and retention, so we're constantly looking at the next technology to benefit law enforcement and the local community moving forward," said Mullins.
HCSO deputies have successfully deployed the BolaWrap 51 times since the pilot program started, including an incident in December when a deputy immobilized a suspect who they say tried to run away as they served a warrant.
In terms of expansion, the company plans to use its product Wrap Reality, a virtual reality training platform for officers that places them in shoot and non-shoot scenarios to train future staff.
"While our training offers 6,000 possible scenario variations and flexibility with just verbal skills, it deals with someone in mental crisis or an officer origin bias training. So we provide a full plethora of training solutions in a VR platform that allows officers a different way to train," said Mullins.
All BolaWrap devices are assigned to the Behavioral Resources Unit, Street Crime and select patrol units with the price ranging around $1,000.
Wrap Technologies recently executed a securities purchase agreement with directors of the company and institutional investors to raise gross proceeds of approximately $10 million in a registered direct offering of convertible preferred stock and warrants.
