A Spider-Man-like gadget that stops suspects by entangling them in cord is being shown to Brit police forces.

The US-made BolaWrap 100 restraint is being demonstrated to UK cops this week as an alternative to the Taser gun.

It works by the device firing a cord at the offender, who is detected by a laser, which then wraps around the body and traps them.

Its effect is similar to putting a suspect in handcuffs by from a distance, according to the makers Wrap Technologies.

It also provides a way to control potentially dangerous suspects without inflicting pain.

The BolaWrap 100 discharges an 8ft tether at 640ft per second
A laser on the device allows the officer to shoot the web in the right direction at the suspect

The company says its invention could be particularly effective in dealing with people under the influence of drugs and those with mental health issues.



Despite the company stressing the device’s safety, the charity Inquest, which works with the families of people who have died during or after being restrained by police, has warned the device could be dangerous.


The tether, after being fired, then wraps around the suspected to trap them
The device is being seen as an alternative to the Taser stun gun


The reference to Dame Elish Angiolini refers to her review into deaths in custody, in which she argued the police needed to recognise that all types of restraint had the potential to cause death.


Sear said the device would be typically aimed at the chest or below and was an excellent way of tackling a person with a knife.

He added police forces across the UK had shown an interest in it.

Despite being demonstrated, it is not being trialled by officers.

A spokesman for the National Police Chiefs' Council said: “From time to time, officers are shown tactics used by law enforcement colleagues in other jurisdictions – this does not mean they are being trialled or tested by forces.

"Any products considered for UK policing must undergo a significant process of safety testing, which judges product effectiveness and our confidence in it.

"Only once those assessments are completed, will any operational testing be considered.”

Around 50 police officers in the UK will be showed the device this week
The device has already been trialled by police forces across the US and Australia

It is expected that around 40 to 50 police officers or trainers will attend the demonstration, which is taking place at an undisclosed location.

The tether inside the BolaWrap 100 device leaves the cartridge at nearly 200 metres per second, and can be replaced in seconds for multiple detentions.

It is powered by a blank charge similar to a sports starting pistol and the officer discharging the device can be up to eight metres away from the target.

