It’s a device that you’d expect to see Batman whip out to fight crime. Now, police officers in Fairfax County, Virginia, will be using a “BolaWrap” to capture and subdue suspects.

The BolaWrap is inspired by the bolas invented by the ancient Incas. The handheld device, not much larger than an iPhone, flings a cord that then wraps around a suspect’s legs or torso to slow them down or hold them in place.

“It minimizes the risk not only to our officers, but also to that community member. So it’s another tool in our tool belt,” Fairfax County Police Lt. James Curry told WTOP.

The department began a pilot program back in November of 2022 with 30 devices going to select officers.

“We had several deployments during that period that we were testing it, and it certainly seemed to be successful, and that’s why we’re giving it to all of our cops,” he said.

Officers will continue to train with the devices to keep up proficiency with the new technology. But now, each cruiser on patrol will be issued one.

“The Fairfax County Police Department is dedicated to enhancing responsiveness, prioritizing safety and emphasizing de-escalation,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said in a statement. “Launching BolaWrap departmentwide is expected to transform our incident resolution capacity, especially in crisis situations.”