Police recruits in North Texas are training in a new restraint technique called SafeWrap, designed to reduce risk to both officers and suspects during arrests.
ARLINGTON, Texas — Police recruits across North Texas are learning a new way to restrain suspects — one instructor says could improve safety for both officers and the people they arrest.
At the North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Police Academy, recruits from 27 departments, including Bedford, Carrollton and Farmers Branch, are now being trained in a method called SafeWrap.
The technique focuses on controlling a suspect while keeping them on their side, rather than handcuffing them face down.
“I think it’s a really useful tactic,” said recruit Mariah Castro, who is currently training at the academy.
SafeWrap is based on principles from jiu-jitsu and techniques originally used in health care settings, according to Charlie Fernandez, director of Gracie Survival Tactics with Gracie University.
“In police work, there are no joint locks, no strikes, no chokeholds, no thoracic compression,” Fernandez said. “Nothing is going to interfere with breathing.”
The method was developed about two years ago and is already being adopted by about 200 law enforcement agencies nationwide, Fernandez said.
Instructors say the technique allows officers to maintain control of a suspect while reducing the risk of injury during a struggle. The Regional Police Academy in North Texas is the first academy in the country to implement SafeWrap training for recruits, according to instructors.
For Castro, who is set to graduate from the academy in May, the training is another step toward a career she says has always felt like a calling.
“I’ve always wanted to help people,” Castro said. “I felt it was something I was called to do.”
Recruits hope the technique will help them safely handle difficult situations once they take to the streets.