ST. MARTIN PARISH — The St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office is turning to new technology in an effort to make high-speed pursuits safer for deputies and the public.
Sheriff Becket Breaux recently demonstrated the department’s new “Grappler” system, a device mounted to the front of a patrol unit that is designed to stop fleeing vehicles by deploying a net that wraps around a suspect’s tire and brings the vehicle to a controlled stop.
“Usually when we’re chasing people for these high speeds, it’s not just for a traffic violation. It’s beyond that— either a murder suspect or a felon that’s trying to get away from us,” Breaux said.
According to Breaux, the Sheriff’s Office spent more than a year working to bring the technology to St. Martin Parish. He said the department is the first agency in Louisiana to use the system.
“There were too many pursuits where people's lives were at danger and we called off pursuits to ensure the safety of the public. This does it fast, efficiently, and we’re able to put our hands on the guy who's fleeing from us,” Breaux said.
Breaux said some past pursuits forced deputies into dangerous situations while trying to stop fleeing drivers.
“One of my deputies chased somebody, and actually, the guy who drives this car— Deputy Noel— got into a pursuit where he had to actually push a vehicle in a ditch where they tried to do a pit maneuver. This is an easy way to stop them and it’s safe, and it stops a suspect in their tracks,” Breaux said.
During a live demonstration, deputies showed how the Grappler system works. Once deployed, the net-like strap catches the rear tire of a fleeing vehicle and locks it in place.
“Once it gets to the rear of the vehicle, this net grabs the tire, pulls around the tire, actually locks the tire up and it’s hooked to the front of the unit,” Breaux explained.
The demonstration showed the system stopping a vehicle within seconds of deployment.
“Instead of endangering the people around us, we found an innovative way of stopping it— where we can control the situation, and we're able to get evidence , if there's evidence, and grab the suspect as soon as possible,” Breaux said.
Breaux said other law enforcement agencies have already reached out with interest in the technology. He also said the Sheriff’s Office hopes to eventually equip more patrol units with the system as the department continues looking for ways to improve public safety during pursuits.
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