ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico sheriff, whose office is plagued by racial profiling lawsuits, said deputies will be outfitted with new superhero-style restraining devices but not body cameras.
The Albuquerque Journal reports the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office is giving 20 deputies a BolaWrap. That’s a handheld device that shoots a Kevlar wire, which wraps around a fleeing suspect several times and restricts movement. Each device costs about $1,000.
The move comes as Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales said he can’t afford to purchase body cameras for his deputies as now required by state law. Gonzales said he is looking to allow deputies to put smartphones in their vests and record video.