PARMA, Ohio (WJW) – Several local police departments are investing in new technology that is designed to reduce the danger of police pursuits.
The Grappler Police Bumper allows officers to deploy netting and straps that, when wrapped around the tires of a vehicle being pursued, quickly bring it to a complete stop.
A recent demonstration of the Grappler outside the I-X Center looked like a scene out of a Batman or Spiderman movie.
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Among the local police departments sold on the Grappler after the demonstration were Garfield Heights police and Parma police.
“With the number of pursuits we have, I thought this was a way that we could reduce pursuits and obviously reduce the risk to the public,” said Parma Police Chief James Blair.
While the use of other techniques like stop sticks and the so-called PIT maneuver can be effective, in some cases they can lead to high-speed crashes that endanger officers and innocent drivers.