Police throughout the US are using what’s called the Grappler to end high-speed pursuits, and new footage shows just how effective it can be.
The Livonia Police Department in the US state of Michigan shared this shocking footage of a pursuit safely brought to an end using the tool, which has been in use for several years now.
Integrated into the bull bar of police vehicles, the device deploys a high-strength net around a vehicle’s rear tyre and axle.
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Livonia officers deployed it to bring a stolen Chevrolet Cruze to a halt. Once the Grappler was deployed, the Cruze’s driver vainly tried to escape even as Michigan State Police and Livonia Police officers surrounded his vehicle.
However, by reversing and driving forward repeatedly, he managed only to ensnare his vehicle further, culminating in the entire rear axle of the vehicle being ripped from the vehicle.
The Livonia Police Department says this “is not typical with Grappler deployments and was solely the result of the driver’s reckless attempts to escape”.
Above: A demonstration of the Grappler
The 27-year-old male driver and his 32-year-old and 31-year-old female passengers were uninjured, but were arrested.
It’s unclear what the Cruze owner’s reaction was to the end of the pursuit.
Leonard Stock created the Grappler Police Bumper, as it’s known, and it’s been in production by Stock Enterprises in the US state of Arizona since 2016.
While it’s used by various police departments in the US, the Grappler has yet to be deployed by any in Australia.