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Livonia police deploy 'Grappler' to stop vehicle during car chase
On Friday night, Livonia police received several calls about a potential drunk driver who was refusing to stop. The driver reportedly struck several cars as he was heading into oncoming traffic. So, for the first time, officers used a new crime-fighting tool.
LIVONIA, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Livonia Police Department can now catch bad guys with a big net during car chases, with officials calling it a game-changer.
The backstory:
On Friday night, Livonia police received several calls about a potential drunk driver who was refusing to stop. The driver reportedly struck several cars as he was heading into oncoming traffic.
So, for the first time, officers used a new crime-fighting tool.
"It is, in essence, it's a net that gets deployed from the front bumper of a patrol car, and the netting shoots behind the suspect's vehicle, aiming towards the rear tires," said Marcotte.
Dig deeper:
The netting then entangles in the tires and axle, essentially catching the vehicle and trapping it. Police call it ‘The Grappler’ and Marcotte tells FOX 2 that it is a game-changer in police chases.
"It we do a pit maneuver, we’re not sure where they’re that’s going to end up, so with this Grappler everything is controlled, coming to a nice slow stop and officers are able to approach the vehicle once they feel safe to do so," said Marcotte.
The chase was all caught on a dashcam where you can see police using the new mechanism.
52-year-old Jason William Wise of Flint was then arrested, marking the first successful use of the Grappler by Livonia police.
"We’re hoping other departments see this and other community. See this and realize what a great effective tool this is," said Marcotte.
The Source: FOX 2 talked to the Livonia Police Department for information for this report.