The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has begun using a new tool designed to safely stop fleeing vehicles during police pursuits. The device, known as “The Grappler,” aims to reduce the risks that high-speed chases pose to officers and the public.
According to authorities, the Grappler is mounted on the front of a patrol vehicle. When activated, mechanical arms extend forward and drop a net that catches one of the suspect vehicle’s wheels. The net then tightens with a tether, gradually bringing the vehicle to a stop.
Deputy Brian Conroy, a corporal assigned to the department’s K-9 unit, said the tool has proven highly effective. His patrol vehicle carries both a police dog and the Grappler system, and he noted that he has already used the device about 10 times in the two months since it was installed.
Conroy explained that the department often pursues suspects accused of serious crimes, including violent offenders and fugitives wanted in other states. He said the device helps stop those suspects while minimizing the danger to officers and nearby drivers.
The department first tested the technology last year as part of a pilot program overseen by Jason Santistevan, a lieutenant with the agency’s Special Operations Bureau. After seeing positive results, officials decided to begin equipping all K-9 patrol vehicles with the system.
Santistevan said the Grappler has helped officers stop suspects before pursuits escalate. In some cases, deputies can deploy the device before activating lights and sirens if they know a vehicle’s driver is wanted by law enforcement.
Officials also noted that the Grappler generally causes less damage to vehicles than a PIT maneuver, a tactic commonly used by police to force a fleeing vehicle to spin out and stop.
The sheriff’s department said it is currently the first law enforcement agency in California to adopt the technology, joining about 165 agencies across 34 states that use the device.