Confronted with a potentially violent situation, police officers or medical personnel must be prepared to react quickly if the need for constraint is deemed necessary.
As far back as 1994, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) published an article identifying medical risks associated with restraining people face down. They recommended the safest method to restrain a person was in an upright seated position.
At that time, Ron O’Dell and Craig Zamolo were sergeants with the Walnut Creek Police Department in Walnut Creek, California. They were highly trained in methods of self-defense, non-lethal force, and controlling combative subjects and trained thousands of first responders.
This extensive experience led to their being recognized as court experts in Police and Use of Force training and resulting in their assignment to research safer alternatives for restraining people.
After significant research, they concluded that no existing restraint device adequately addressed the recommendation of the IACP. Most existing devices were unreasonable, unsafe, or outdated. This absence of a safe, upright seated restraint device was the starting point for the creation of The WRAP.
The WRAP creates a “papoose effect” – a position that has a calming effect. Subjects restrained with The WRAP are not forced to lay face down, which is a more stressful position. The seated upright position is recognized as one of the safest positions for oxygen recovery while creating no pressure against the chest.
The WRAP has been found to be safe and 100% effective by the Institute for the Prevention of In-Custody Deaths. Hundreds of agencies across the US and Canada are using the device, and it has been mandated in some states for juvenile institutions.
ABOUT CRAIG ZAMOLO
Our guest, Craig Zamolo, is a Co-Founder/Inventor of the WRAP. A retired police captain and former interim chief of police at Walnut Creek Police Department in California with a total of over 30 years in law enforcement, he has maintained involvement with Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Department in California, serving as their lead defensive tactics instructor.
Craig is a Certified Instructor in non-lethal force weapons, arrest, self-defense techniques, and restraint devises. He is committed to using his knowledge expand awareness and use of the WRAP to save lives, reduce injuries and protect property
