ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies are turning to a new piece of technology to end dangerous vehicle pursuits: a bumper-mounted device called the “grappler.”
Officials say the tool has already helped capture about 30 suspects who tried to evade law enforcement.
How the grappler works
The grappler is mounted to the front of a patrol car. When activated, it latches onto the rear wheel of a fleeing vehicle and connects it to the front of the deputy’s cruiser, forcing the suspect’s car to stop.
Unlike older tactics, the device gives deputies more control over when and where to bring a vehicle to a halt.
“Deputies now have the option of deciding when and where to stop the vehicle, versus previous techniques that have been around for many, many years: stop sticks, PIT maneuver. You don’t really have that option,” said a sheriff’s office representative.
Safer alternative to traditional pursuit tactics
The grappler is designed as a safer alternative to methods like stop sticks and the PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique) maneuver, which can sometimes lead to high-speed crashes or loss of vehicle control.
By tethering the suspect’s car to the patrol vehicle, deputies can slow and guide it to a controlled stop instead of forcing an abrupt end to the pursuit.
Growing deployment across Orange County
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office currently has 20 grappler units in service and is looking to add more in the coming months, officials said.
The technology, originally developed in Phoenix, has been adopted by a growing number of law enforcement agencies nationwide as a way to reduce the risks associated with high-speed chases
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