UK police are considering a new 'lasso' type device for catching criminals without using force.
The equipment is currently being examined by the Home Office with reports it could be rolled out nationwide as a less forceful alternative to the Taser.
The BolaWrap fires an 8ft kevlar cord with hooks on each end at 513 feet per second and can tangle the legs and arms of a target up to 25ft away.
It is now being put through trials after it was demonstrated to forces from across the UK at the Royal College of Policing last year., reports The Mirror.
Tom Smith, president of US-based Wrap Technologies, said: “We have had a lot of interest from the UK and I had a meeting with the Home Office this week. Police are looking at it at a national level.”
The BolaWrap is named after the bolas – a throwing weapon made of weighted ropes that South American cowboys used to capture animals by entangling their legs.
The Home Office said: “The Government is clear police officers should have the best possible protection when facing serious and sometimes violent situations.
“There is an established process for approval of less lethal weapons due to the unique risks and societal implications [of] their use.”
