Police snag teen speed demons with Batman-style 'Grappler' device
· Toronto Sun
Police in Tampa, Fla. used a Grappler to stop two teenagers in a high-speed car chase.
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A video clip from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office shows officers chasing the vehicle through traffic in a dangerous nighttime car chase. As the car weaves in and out of traffic, police deploy the mechanism to stop the vehicle. With nowhere to go, the teens quickly give up.
Calixto Gabriel Anaya, 19, faces charges of street takeover, reckless driving and felony fleeing to elude. The passenger, 17-year-old Kierstin Mckenzie Robb, faces gun and drug charges.
“Street takeovers are dangerous, reckless, and put innocent lives at risk,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a news release . “Our deputies acted quickly and used the Grappler to safely bring this situation to an end before anyone was seriously hurt. If you choose to put our community in danger, you will be held accountable.”
What is a Grappler?
The Grappler is a heavy-duty nylon net on the front of a police vehicle that wraps around the back tire of the fleeing car, bringing the car chase to a controlled stop. Some law enforcement officials call it a “game changer” that saves lives on the road. The device is predominantly used by American law enforcement. Before the Grappler, police would use what’s called the PIT maneuver, when a police car involved in a chase would tap the fleeing car’s rear side to pinwheel and immobilize it.
What do Canadian cops use?
Canadian police rely on various high-tech tools to end car chases. The OPP tested GPS dart launchers that fire from the front of a police cruiser and remotely track the car. The RCMP uses Automated Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) to flag vehicles and drivers involved in crime.