Springfield police have acquired some new devices that could provide an alternative to tasers as a non-lethal way to restrain criminal suspects. But the department is still testing the devices and has not yet deployed them on the street.
Bola wraps are described as a “non-pain compliance device” that shoots out a Kevlar cord which wraps around a suspect’s arms or legs, immobilizing the individual. The department has begun training officers on their use, but there’s no word yet on when they will actually be put into use on the streets.
Meanwhile, Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell says he wants to see how the devices work for SPD, as he looks for other restraint methods in the county jail amid concerns over potential harmful effects of using tasers on inmates.
