The Buckeye City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to pursue more than $105,000 in federal funding to expand the Police Department’s use of BolaWrap devices, a gadget often described as a “Batman-like” tool that shoots a Kevlar cord to snare a person’s arms or legs.
Supporters say the device, which holsters like a Taser but deploys more like a comic-book grappling line, offers officers a non-lethal way to restrain uncooperative individuals without inflicting pain. Buckeye currently has six BolaWraps but is seeking 60 more, enough to outfit every patrol vehicle, according to the city's agenda.
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“The BolaWrap will benefit the Buckeye Police Department as an effective and less lethal form of immobilizing suspects without causing physical harm,” the city’s grant application states. Police leaders also emphasized the BolaWrap’s potential role in mental health crises, calling it “a beneficial tool in situations where officers need to de-escalate without causing additional physical or mental harm.”
The grant request totals $105,622 over two years, with no city match required. That includes $77,999 for the devices, $4,197 for holsters, and $14,036 for single-use cassettes. Replacement cassettes would cost $38.99 each once the grant expires.
Yet the technology has sparked debate nationwide. Human Rights Watch warned in a 2020 report that “less-lethal” weapons such as Tasers and BolaWraps risk being overused, especially against people with mental health conditions and communities of color. “Police with more force options are likely to resort to such force more frequently,” the report said, noting data showing Black and Latino residents are disproportionately targeted in force incidents.
Critics argue that equipping officers with new tools is a substitute for investing in mental health and community services. “Mental health should not be a policing issue,” the report said.
If awarded, Buckeye police plan to hold live demonstrations and use social media to educate the public about how the BolaWrap works and why it is being deployed.
The council will decide whether to authorize the grant submission at its regular meeting Tuesday at City Hall.
