GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio — On Christmas night, a Garfield Heights police officer became the first in Ohio to successfully use the Grappler Police Bumper to halt a high-speed pursuit, WJW reports.
This technology, the brainchild of Leonard Stock, a seasoned roofing contractor, has been designed to halt vehicles safely, according to WJW. Stock told WJW he was inspired to create the Grappler after watching a program about police pursuits that ended in crashes or fatalities.
“If it saved one life, it was worth it, so that was kind of my idea of why I wanted to go take the risks that I had to take to get to this point,” Stock said.
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During the recent pursuit in Garfield Heights, the effectiveness of the Grappler was captured on body camera footage. An officer can be heard notifying dispatchers as he deployed the device, and shortly after, triumphantly declaring, “Grappler successful! Grappler successful!”
The suspect, previously known for fleeing and evading police, now faces charges of felony fleeing and eluding, along with obstruction of official business, the Garfield Heights Police Department said.
The Cuyahoga Heights Police Department assisted in the apprehension of the suspect.
The Grappler has proved its efficacy in over 1,000 police pursuits nationwide, according to WJW.
