Armament Systems and Procedures (ASP), a leading manufacturer of law enforcement products, has announced a multi-tiered response to new guidelines and recommendations related to the use of disposable restraints. First, addressing the sudden surge in demand, the company has dramatically ramped up production of its Tri-Fold single-use restraints. Second, ASP is communicating the latest industry guidelines and potential equipment funding opportunities to agencies and the distributors who supply them. And finally, the company rapidly rolled out a program to make it fast and easy for agencies to deploy a turnkey disposable restraint solution. The program includes free equipment to help outfit officers, while reducing the overall cost to the agency.

“The health crisis obviously changed everything overnight,” says ASP CEO Kevin Parsons, “and urgently finding ways to protect the health of first responders became an immediate priority.” Parsons says that in addition to the need for things like masks and gloves, emphasis has been placed on minimizing the re-use of equipment like handcuffs, that might carry surface-borne pathogens. He points out that the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and others are specifically recommending that law enforcement officers use disposable restraints. “Based on the spike in demand and requests for large-scale availability, we have dramatically increased production of our Tri-Folds and we are currently manufacturing these restraints and related accessories around the clock,” says Parsons.

In conjunction with the spooled-up production, ASP quickly turned around a comprehensive communication and education effort, beginning with an informational video, and continuing with disseminating the latest industry recommendations, as well as information on a federal funding program that offers subsidies to help agencies acquire the equipment they need.

Finally, in the span of 24 hours, ASP put together and distributed an efficient, cost-saving product acquisition program for distributors and agencies. The Agency Set program offers a bulk pre-packed solution with everything needed to get disposable restraints in the field. Each set includes 300 Tri-Fold Restraints, 25 Scarab Safety Cutters, and 25 system carrying cases that can be worn on belts or vests. ASP is providing the cases at no cost, to help reduce the overall cost, while ensuring that officers have everything they need to carry and use the system.

“Officer safety has always been the cornerstone of everything we do,” says ASP’s Parsons. “The public health crisis has just expanded the definition of what it means to protect the people who protect us.”