Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association purchases Wrap systems for police department

By BRITTANY FHOLER

Cove Leader-Press

The Copperas Cove Police Department received a check donation from the Copperas Cove Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association Wednesday evening for the purchase of a new tool to help officers safely restrain combative offenders.

The check was presented to the police department in the amount of $3,152.12. This will fund the purchase of two Wrap systems for patrol officers to use.

The Wrap is a temporary safety restraint system that is manufactured by Safe Restraints, Inc.

“Back in the day, there was bad publicity about police officers having to hog tie people and dragging them into vehicles,” said Capt. Lester Nace. “It's extremely difficult and dangerous to try to wrestle a combative person into a vehicle or to even move them in general, and of course, that's most highlighted by the George Floyd incident. What [Wrap] does is, once you have the person secured, it allows the officers to put him in a system that restrains their body's movement, and they end up being restrained in what we call the recovery position, so that way they're sitting in an upright position, so it keeps them from being able to kick.”

The Wrap has a shoulder harness, leg restraint and ankle strap, with carrying handles to allow law enforcement to carry the individual that is restrained and transport them safely, without injury to themselves or others.

Nace said that this system would typically be used for people who are intoxicated and combative or people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis and are combative.

“In the past, it's been one of those where short of dogpiling somebody, there's really not a whole lot you can do to restrain somebody, especially if it's a strong individual,” Nace said. “This doesn't remove that first part. You still have to get them in handcuffs. There’s no way around that, but once you get them in handcuffs, it's still a challenge to try to get them in the vehicle. That’s what people don't realize - somebody who's handcuffed can significantly injure you.”

Nace said that the manufacturer’s presentation and demo allowed for people to volunteer to try out the equipment, and it showed how effective it is for people of all sizes, including Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association President Donald Whittenberger.

“The writeup was done by Captain Nace, and he emphasized the fact that it was used 12 times in the three months that they tested this, and not once during that time was one of the officers injured,” Whittenberger said. “So, the primary concern when Lt. [Krystal] Baker contacted us was that we have the funds, they had the need, and that's what that's what our organization is about, supporting the police department. It was just a win-win situation.”

The Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association raised the funds through their Krist Kindl Markt vendor booth and through a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s, in addition to personal donations from the public.

“This donation is a big deal for us,” said Lt. Krystal Baker, Public Information Officer for Copperas Cove Police Department. “When we reveived the Wraps to demo from the company, we didn't realize how valuable they were going to be to our patrol officers, but it's not just about keeping officers safe. It’s about keeping the person safe that has to be restrained. This is a big deal. We’re hoping to outfit every officer with a Wrap system, but this was a big step in the right direction.”