A 46-year-old male was arrested and taken into custody Tuesday night with the assistance of a remote restraint device.
He was arrested for allegedly trespassing at a business in the 400 block of First Street South in Willmar.
According to a news release from Willmar Police Chief Jim Felt, the male arrested had previously been arrested at the convenience store in May 2023, and was served a trespass notice by the business and told not to return for one year.
Police were dispatched to the store around 9:58 p.m. Tuesday after the business reported the male had returned. Upon arrival, police recognized the suspect.
After seeing police, the suspect ran from the officers and entered into an alcove of a nearby business, where he discarded some items including a cell phone and a substance that later field-tested positive for fentanyl, according to the release.
Police said the suspect refused to follow commands and appeared to position himself to flee again when a responding officer deployed a BolaWrap, a remote restraint device that deploys a tether from a distance and encircles the suspect to restrict movement.
While the suspect continued to resist arrest, police were eventually able to take the man into custody with the help of additional officers.
The suspect was not injured, according to the release, but complained of pain and difficulty breathing. He was medically cleared by hospital personnel before being transported to the Kandiyohi County Jail where he was in custody as of Wednesday afternoon with four pending charges including trespass, fleeing police, obstruction and a fifth-degree controlled substance crime.
According to Felt, while the BolaWrap device is not practical for all applications, it was successful in this instance in providing restraint to the arm and waist area of the suspect. It also provided a distraction which allowed responding officers to safely control and handcuff him.
The device is not a pain compliance device. Willmar police began using it in 2021.