Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Harlan City Council recently witnessed a demonstration of a BolaWrap device, a new non-lethal option Harlan City Police Department Officers now have at their disposal. A BolaWrap is useful  when dealing with an unruly person who may be a threat to themselves or others.
Harlan City Police Chief Winston Yeary was called on by Mayor Joe Meadors during the council’s December meeting to inform the council regarding the device.
“We’ve talked about this less lethal way of getting people under control,” Meadors said. “Some people don’t need to be tased, that can be dangerous for some people.”
Yeary showed the council a new BolaWrap device currently in use by the Harlan City Police Department.
According to the web site https://wrap.com/bolawrap, a “BolaWrap is a handheld remote restraint device that helps officers safely and effectively manage individuals in police encounters. BolaWrap provides officers with a safer, more controlled way to manage non-compliant individuals, giving them time and distance to de-escalate situations without pain or injury.”
Yeary told the council the device is an effective non-lethal solution for dealing with people who may have mental health issues and are exhibiting behaviors that are a danger to themselves or others.
“One of the things we talked about at a recent police conference is this country has a mental health crisis going on,” Yeary said. “You don’t see it in the news, but you see it in the streets.”
Yeary said somebody in the throes of a mental health crisis may need to be restrained but should not be injured.
“If we have to wrestle them, they may get hurt,” Yeary said. “If we hit them with a taser, did they really deserve that? This is a new option everybody is going to.”
Yeary presented a BolaWrap device for the council to view.
“It works pretty well,” Yeary said.
Yeary mentioned he had been restrained by the device as a demonstration.
“It’s two anchors on one end and three feet of string,” Yeary said. “You shoot it, and it wraps somebody up.”
Yeary added the device has a loud bang when fired, similar to a shotgun.
“You hear it, it’ll stun you for a second,” Yeary said.
He noted once wrapped up, a person is much less capable of putting up a fight.
“It’s got some sound reasoning behind it,” Yeary said.
The council then moved to a larger room in the Harlan Center for a demonstration of the device. Tourism Director Brandon Pennington volunteered to be the unruly subject to be taken into custody. Yeary pointed the device at Pennington, who was standing several yards away, and fired. Pennington’s legs were immediately wrapped up with the string, making walking nearly impossible.
A council member asked if the device had been used in the line of duty yet.
“No, we just got them,” Yeary answered. “I think around 900 agencies across the country are using them. I think we’re the first ones in this county to have them.”