COUNTY SHERIFF' S OFFICE WILL SOON BEGIN USING A NEW, LESS LETHAL DEVICE THAT RESTRAINS PEOPLE BY ENTANGLING THEIR LEGS WITH A CORD. ACTION NEWS REPORTER PHIL GOMEZ IS LIVE IN SANTA CRUZ TO SHOW US HOW THE BOLAWRAP WORKS.PHIL? THE SHERIFF ENVISIONS THE BOLA WRAP WILL B USED TO RESTRAIN PEOPLE WHO ARE UNCOOPERATIVE OR SHOW SIGNS OF POTENTIAL VIOLENCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OR OTHERSBUT IT WOULD NOT BE USED IF SOMEONE IS USING MORE LETHAL FORCE LIKE A GUN. "WE WANT TO RESOLVE CASES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A WEAPON THAT'S NOT A GUN WITHOUT CAUSING HARM TO THAT PERSON" SANTA CRUZ COUNTY SHERIFF DEPUTIES ARE ALREADY EQUIPPED WITH OC SPRAY, TAZERS AND OTHER LESS LETHAL DEVICES. NOW, THEY ARE ADDING THE BOLAWRAP "IT HAS A 9 MILLIMETER CARTRIDGE WHICH CAUSES THE TETHER TO BE FIRED OUT OF THE DEVICE" THE DEVICE SHOOTS AN EIGHT FOOT KEVLAR LINE ABOUT TEN-TO-25 FEET, AND HOOKED WEIGHTS ON EACH END ALLOW THE LINE TO WRAP AROUND SOMEONE'S LEGS PREVENTING THEM FROM MOVING ABOUT. WHEN USED IT SOUNDS JUST LIKE A GUNSHOT "WE HAVE THINGS IN PLACE TO ALERT OTHER DEPUTIES ON SCENE THAT IT'S NOT LETHAL FORCE OR FIREARMS BEING USED." SHERIFF HART SAYS DEPUTIES RESPOND TEN TIMES A DAY WHICH TRANSLATES ROUGHLY TO THREE THOUSAND TIMES EACH YEAR TO PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS "THIS IS ONE MORE OPTION. ONE MORE DEVICE THAT OUR STAFF WILL HAVE IN ORDER TO RESOLVE SOME OF THESE ODD CASES THAT WE'RE SEEING." THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS PURCHASED TWENTY BOLAWRAPS AT A COST OF TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS. "EVEN IF WE HAVE ONE CASE WHERE WE PREVENT LETHAL FORCE FROM HAVING TO BE USED ITS WORTH THE INVESTMENT." THE BOLAWRAP ISN'T EXACTLY A NEW INVENTION. IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, USED BY THE CHINESE, SOUTH AMERICAN INDIANS AND ESKIMOS AS A HUNTING DEVICE. IF PROVEN SUCCESSFUL ALL 160 DEPUTY SHERIFFS WILL BE OUTFITTED WITH THE BOLA WRAPS THE UNITS RUN ABOUT ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH AND THE NON-REUSABLE CARTRIDGES WITH THE BOLAS LINE ARE THIRTY DOLLARS A PIECE. ##