BENTON, La. — The Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office has added a new tool to some of its patrol vehicles that is designed to help deputies stop dangerous vehicle chases more safely.
The Grappler Police Bumper is mounted on the front of select patrol vehicles. It uses a heavy-duty nylon net to catch the rear wheel of a fleeing vehicle and help bring it to a controlled stop, according to the sheriff’s office.
The device gives deputies another option for ending a pursuit without relying solely on maneuvers that can cause a fleeing vehicle to spin, lose control or roll over, particularly at higher speeds.
The sheriff’s office said the system can potentially shorten the length of a chase by allowing deputies to stop the vehicle within seconds instead of allowing a pursuit to continue for miles…