Wrap Technologies, photoWrap Technologies is receiving body camera footage from cops and testimonials from them in order to market the controversial BolaWrap high-tech lasso to other police departments. The Daily Dot reports that the company has been supplying the footage to Wrap Technologies. Wrap allegedly sweetened the deal by giving a free device for departments who shared footage.AdvertisementWrap sells the BolaWrap to police as a tool to deescalate situations. It uses gunpowder and barbed metal hooks to explode a eight-foot Kevlar tie with barbed metal hooks. Wraps website states that it is designed to hold non-responsive suspects and uncooperative suspects at a distance, within a range of 10-25 feet.According to emails obtained through public records requests and reviewed by Wrap, officers from Glenwood Springs, Colorado and Beaufort in South Carolina provided bodycam footage showing them using the BolaWrap while on the job. Wrap used edited versions of the footage in its marketing materials for the device, and some of it was also featured in media coverage about the BolaWrap. Representatives from Wyoming Police Department and Beaufort Police Department told the Daily Dot that they were both offered a BolaWrap free of charge after they handed over the information. However, both departments claimed they didn't know about any offer before sharing the information with Wrap.Wrap asks officers for details on any BolaWrap deployments after demonstrations or training periods. Wrap reports to the Daily Dot. This information, according to the company, is meant to help future product development and to assist instructors and other police departments in learning how to properly use the BolaWrap.According to Wrap, however, most of the testimonials and footage ended up in promotional emails. Wrap also used the company's social media platforms to make a profit. Wraps YouTube channel also has edited footage from multiple police departments. The faces of the people involved in these incidents are blurred and their last names are redacted. According to police records, the BolaWrap is used by officers to restrain someone who has mental health problems. Wraps' homepage features several of these real-life deployments under the banner Success Stories.Wrap explained to the Daily Dot that we encourage police departments sharing bodycam footage from BolaWrap deployments in order for the company and other law enforcement agencies to learn from them. The subjects' faces are always blurred when we release bodycam videos.The outlet asked why police departments received free BolaWraps. It did not respond. Wrap didn't immediately respond to Gizmodos request, but we will update this blog if we hear back.The regulations for police bodycam footage differ from one state to another. Many states limit the release of videos that might compromise ongoing investigations or identify someone who has not been charged. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Some states allow bodycam footage to also be released for training purposes.AdvertisementThe Glenwood Springs Police Department reached an agreement with Wrap to allow the company to share footage from an incident with local media outlets. Later, the bodycam footage was featured in a Fox Business segment. According to correspondence reviewed by the outlet, the Wyoming Police Department as well as Beaufort Police Department approved Wraps additional edits to their footage before the company allowed it to be published online.
