This device is expected to become much more used by police around the nation.
Police chases happen when drivers try to evade their traffic stop. Sadly, these pursuits are dangerous and can lead to car wrecks involving other people. Luckily, police officers have ways to stop these drivers who refuse to pull over and face law enforcement. However, one method is a bit newer than the rest, and now, one officer in Ohio has broken ground by being the first in the state to use it.
The grappler is another way to get drivers to engage with a traffic stop
According to Fox 8 News, a police officer in Garfield Heights, Ohio, became the first in the state to use the Grappler on the night of December 25th. Notably, the officer was trying to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle that refused to pull over. After using it, he successfully stopped the vehicle and prevented any car wrecks that could have arisen. The full name of the device is the Grappler Police Bumper.
Of course, the Grapper is a relatively new traffic stop device. The inventor behind it is Leonard Stock, 58, who is actually a roofing contractor. The man has said that he invented it as a way to safely stop high-speed chases. Essentially, the device deploys netting and straps under the rear wheels of vehicles trying to escape police.
Regarding the traffic stop device, Leonard had this to say, “The rotation of the tire just pulls the net up and over the wheel, and it gets wrapped around the axe,l or just some of the components there, and the officer would then apply brakes on his vehicle and then bring the suspect vehicle to a stop.”
He also issued a statement following the device’s first use on a traffic stop in Ohio. He said, “I’m really excited about that. I just can’t tell you how great it feels to work at something and go through all the trials and ups and downs, and for an agency to use it and they’re excited about it. You know, it’s a wonderful feeling.”
To date, the Grappler Police Bumper has been used to help stop more than 1,000 police chases.
