Police in the US are testing a new tool to capture criminal suspects: an electric lasso. Despite being presented as a harmless alternative to more violent methods of apprehension, netizens were immediately skeptical.
Washington, DC police have been testing out the controversial electronic lasso, designed to take suspects down without hurting them, NBC reported. The ‘BolaWrap’ is a handheld device that looks like a Taser and shoots a cord as far as 25 feet that wraps around a person’s legs.
Robert Liberati, the Landover Hills town police chief has already ordered one lasso for each of his officers. “You’re immobilized temporarily enough, hopefully, that officers can get to you, get you under control and apprehended with as little injury as possible,” he said of the device’s proposed functionality.
Some on social media noticed something disturbing about the BolaWrap, however. One person pointed out that while it’s not intended to be painful, “every person seen ‘testing’ [the device] is wearing a protective layer.”
"Not intended to be painful," and yet every person seen here "testing" them is wearing a protective layer. Goodbye.
— Bry Arlington (@brealitycheck) July 15, 2020
That is likely because there are in fact hooks at the end of its cord that can pierce the skin.
“There are however small hooks at the end of the rope that could pierce the skin” pic.twitter.com/dgDBlgeiBn
— Artistictech (@Artistictech) July 15, 2020
The new police tool comes on the heels of the anti-racism and anti-police brutality movement sweeping the country, which was sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of a cop in Minnesota.
Some claimed that the addition of these new weapons to the police arsenal proved that they were missing the point of the protest movement — particularly given the fact that they used a black man in the testing video for the device.
One user even felt there was a “slave catcher aesthetic” to the new tool. Another tweeter said police were not even trying to be “anything other than violent, brutal and terrifying.”
Nothing about how police departments across the country have responded to criticism since June has indicated that they are even trying to be anything other than violent, brutal and terrifying. https://t.co/WgK0Tljh4S
— Saeed Jones (@theferocity) July 15, 2020
A few were happy the new device was being deployed however, with one saying it would lead to more “easy” arrests.
US police already use non-lethal weapons like pepper spray and Tasers to apprehend people — but instances of officers shooting and killing fleeing suspects from behind have sparked international outrage.
Civil rights groups and protesters, including the Black Lives Matter movement, are against the use of the BolaWrap, however, and have insisted that police should be trained in de-escalation rather than given more weapons.
Cowboys they are not!
Wouldn’t need any of this stupid shit if the real law of this country were observed
Traitors with an electric lasso now
Yeah seems fitting
Can’t wait til some 300 pounder wraps this piece of shit around some pigs neck and hooks it to something fast and heavy
Just remember every tool you devise can also be used on you
Rub those two brain cells together and figure it out idiots
Oh so now the jews are arming cops with “lassos” so they can wrangle the goyim (cattle)? Please tell me it ain’t so! We are truly living in clown world! LMFAO! Imagine how many dumb ignoramus heads this latest jew in-joke is going to fly right over…
There’s no such thing as a “safe weapon” you assholes!
A weapon is something that is designed to intentionally hurt you in some way. If you’re hurt then you are not safe. The words “safe” and “weapon” can’t even go together. They cancel each other out.
Unfrigginbelievable……..