Following a successful pilot program, the Fairfax County Police Department on Feb. 7 announced the full deployment of BolaWrap, a handheld remote-restraint device used to restrain people safely so as to take them into custody.
In November 2022, county police assigned 30 BolaWrap devices throughout the department’s district stations and to its Crisis Intervention Team.
The device is intended to be used to restrain from a distance uncooperative suspects or people experiencing a mental-health crisis. Upon completion of training and guidance of the technology’s usage, officers equipped with this tool began their patrols.
After achieving a number of positive outcomes, the department approved deployment to all patrol officers.
Officers will undergo periodic refresher courses and skill assessments to maintain proficiency in the device’s usage.
