Police chases are incredibly dangerous. For the public that happens to be in the path of the pursuit, the officer, and the perp, it's a high-speed event that could have tragic results. A PIT (precision immobilization technique) maneuver can bring things to an end but it can also wind up causing a big wreck. The company behind a new bumper-mounted pursuit stopping system called the Grappler is looking to fix that issue.
Mounted to the front of a patrol vehicle, the system amounts to a net that ensnares one of the tires of the evading vehicle. Once snared, the wheel is locked up, and the pursuit can come to a stop. Both vehicles are linked together by a tether, and the tether can be used to slow down the fleeing vehicle as well. The tether can also be released at any time by the patrol vehicle.
In the video above, it all seems easy and useful. Still, we can imagine some instances in which it could cause the fleeing subject to lose control in a very big way. It's impressive regardless, especially when shown being tested on a vehicle hauling a trailer. We don't expect to see many pursuits involving trailers, but it's surprising to see the tow vehicle and the trailer come to a safe stop.
This is far more interesting than parking enforcement innovations. It might not be as exciting as a mobile spike strip, though.
