BolaWrap Used To Detain A Woman On Buffalo's East Side

According to WIVB, the Buffalo Police Department used a BolaWrap to detain a woman during a mental health crisis call. The technique was successfully used when the woman jumped from a second-story window holding a pair of scissors. According to WIVB, the Buffalo Police Department said the woman posed the potential to harm herself or others.

Credit: WIVB,

The woman was only wearing a T-shirt and with the temperature being as cold as it is, the police officers believed that she could be at risk for hypothermia. After an extended period of time spent by the officers, trying to get the woman in the police car to be taken for medical evaluation, the decision was made to deploy the BolaWrap.

The BolaWrap has been in the works for some time now as a non-lethal way of dealing with situations like this. According to the manufacture of the device, it is "Like "remote handcuffs" the BolaWrap safely and humanely restrains people that may be resisting arrest, but it can do it from a distance without relying on pain compliance tools".

According to WIVB, the woman was taken to Erie County Medical Center for medical treatment and evaluation. There has been a lot of talk about Police reform as it relates to dealing with a mental health crisis, I hope that this outcome can serve as a benchmark or a step in the right direction when it comes to dealing with people in our community with these kinds of issues.