BolaWrap® Safely Restrains Suicidal Subject in Florida: Police Bodycam Footage Released
Wrap Technologies (Nasdaq: WRTC) reported the successful deployment of its BolaWrap device by the St. Cloud Police Department, showcasing its ability to safely restrain individuals in crisis. The incident involved officers responding to a call about a man threatening self-harm, where the BolaWrap device was used to immobilize him without injury. The event highlights growing use of BolaWrap by over 220 law enforcement agencies nationwide, demonstrating its effectiveness in de-escalating potentially dangerous situations while minimizing harm to both officers and subjects.
- Successful deployment of the BolaWrap by St. Cloud Police Department highlights its effectiveness in field situations.
- Over 220 law enforcement agencies currently utilize the BolaWrap, indicating strong market acceptance.
- None.
TEMPE, Ariz., Sept. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wrap Technologies, Inc. (the “Company” or “Wrap”) (Nasdaq: WRTC) reported a successful deployment of the BolaWrap by St. Cloud Police Department in Florida. The encounter was captured on an officer’s body-worn camera and can be viewed via the link below.
According to the St. Cloud Police Department, on September 12, 2020, St. Cloud Police Department officers responded to a call in reference to an adult male (the “subject”) apparently suffering with a mental health crisis. Information provided to the responding officers was that the subject wanted to commit “suicide by cop.” Officers located the subject who was standing with his mother and brother in the driveway of a nearby residence.
The subject’s family advised responding officers that the subject had recently dealt with a relationship breakup that caused him to disdain law enforcement. The subject’s mother also informed police officers that he wanted to be killed by law enforcement.
The responding officers worked to de-escalate the situation by attempting to engage him in dialogue. It was obvious to the officers that he was distraught, mentally unstable and uncooperative. The officers implemented a tactical plan to restrict the subject’s mobility through the use of the BolaWrap Remote Restraint device and deployed the BolaWrap around the subject’s legs. As evident by the body camera footage, the deployment surprised and distracted the subject, allowing the officers the tactical advantage to safely approach the subject without injuring him or themselves. The subject was then transported to a mental health facility for evaluation.
“We are very pleased with our officer’s usage of the BolaWrap in this scenario, and we are very impressed with its effectiveness in the field,” said Captain Ed Mateo of St. Cloud Police Department. “The most important thing is that the subject was able to be taken into custody without injury to himself or to the officers. Not only did we not have to call EMS, we were able to transport the subject to get evaluated at a mental health facility and my officers were able to get right back into the field.”
More than 220 agencies across the United States have BolaWrap Remote Restraint devices, and it has been successfully deployed to safely restrain subjects in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Fresno, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, West Palm Beach, Fort Worth and others.
Mike Rothans, Chief Strategy Officer at Wrap Technologies, commented, “Law enforcement often encounter people in crisis intent on hurting themselves. In years past, the only devices available to police officers were pain compliance tools. With the BolaWrap, officers are discovering a better way to deal with people in crisis. One of the many applications of BolaWrap is to help de-escalate an encounter where someone may simply need mental health treatment, rather than pain and possibly a trip to the emergency room.”
Footage from the body-worn camera can be viewed here.
About Wrap Technologies (Nasdaq: WRTC)
Wrap Technologies is an innovator of modern policing solutions. The Company’s BolaWrap 100 product is a patented, hand-held remote restraint device that discharges an eight-foot bola style Kevlar® tether to restrain an individual at a distance from 10 to 25 feet. Developed by award winning inventor Elwood Norris, the Company’s Chief Technology Officer, the small but powerful BolaWrap 100 assists law enforcement in safely and effectively deescalating encounters, especially those involving an individual in crisis. BolaWrap 100 has already been used to safely apprehend suspects without injury in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Fresno, Bell, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, West Palm Beach, Fort Worth, LaGrange, St. Cloud and Oak Ridge. For information on the Company, please visit www.wraptechnologies.com.
Trademark Information: BolaWrap and Wrap are trademarks of Wrap Technologies, Inc. All other trade names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders.
Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements – Safe Harbor Statement: This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to: statements regarding the Company’s overall business; total addressable market; and, expectations regarding future sales and expenses. Words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “should”, “believe”, “target”, “project”, “goals”, “estimate”, “potential”, “predict”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the Company’s ability to successful implement training programs for the use of its products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce product for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop sales for its new product solution; the acceptance of existing and future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation and sales cycle for the Company’s product solution; product defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries; risks of government regulations; the business impact of health crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the ability to obtain export licenses for counties outside of the US; the ability to obtain patents and defend IP against competitors; the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly report on Form 10-Q, and other SEC filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.
WRAP TECHNOLOGIES CONTACT:
Paul M. Manley
VP – Investor Relations
612-834-1804
pmanley@wraptechnologies.com
