The name invites quips about lunch options, but a new restraint system being used by deputies with the Valencia County Sheriff’s Office should allow officers to restrain combative suspects while keeping everyone involved safe.
The WRAP — which was developed by two former sergeants with the Walnut Creek Police Department in California — is designed to be deployed and put on in 90 seconds or less, “then the fight is over. We’ve used just the ankle strap a few times in the field, and it’s a big deterrent,” VCSO Sgt. Ben Lankasky said.
All patrol units in the department have the ankle strap and, if the full system is needed, a shift supervisor is dispatched to the scene. The department has two systems, one for each patrol squad. Each system costs about $1,500.
Julia M. Dendinger | News-Bulletin photo
Valencia County Sheriff’s Office deputies Craig Meo, Noah Odell and Josh Baca train with the department’s newest tool, a restraint system called The WRAP. The system is designed to restrain an individual while keeping them in an upright, seated position for safety.
The system includes three elements — a three-inch ankle strap, leg restraint and locking shoulder harness.
To use the system, deputies need to handcuff the combative suspect, then put them on their stomach. Their ankles are crossed and the ankle strap is put on, then the leg restraint is slid under them, wrapped around their lower extremities and buckled into place.
The person is then rolled over and put into a seated position, with an officer maintaining control of their head. The shoulder harness is put on and buckled around their waist.
A strap on the front of the chest harness is attached to a D-ring on the leg restraint near the person’s ankles. The strap is tightened to remove slack and the individual is pulled slightly forward.
This position allows the person to breath freely and keeps dangerous pressure off their chest while also preventing them from fleeing, kicking or striking officers, Lankasky said.
“Once they’re restrained, most people will realize there’s no getting out and usually calm down,” he said. “They can keep fighting, but it’s not going to do a lot of good.”
The system also includes a soft helmet for the person in custody, which can be used if officers feel they are at risk, as well as storage pockets for spit masks and safety gloves.
While in the WRAP system, deputies can pick up and carry the person in custody if needed. Lankasky said if the individual becomes more cooperative, the ankle strap can be removed and leg wrap loosened to let them walk in a hobbled position.
“If we put them in a unit in the WRAP restraint, they can’t kick out the window or kick at officers. We can also move their hands in front of them and secure them if we have a long transport,” the sergeant said.
Julia M. Dendinger began working at the VCNB in 2006. She covers Valencia County government, Belen Consolidated Schools and the village of Bosque Farms. She is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists Rio Grande chapter’s board of directors.
711
June 13, 2024
