Eagan police first in Minnesota using ‘Grappler’ tool to help stop pursuits
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Stopping the police chase before it even starts.
The Eagan Police Department is the first department in the state of Minnesota to use the Grappler.
The device shoots out a net from the front squad car and grabs the back tire of a suspect’s vehicle, bringing it to a stop.
So far this year, the Eagan Police Department has had nine pursuits; last year, they had 23.
“We can use it as a preemptive measure where you can actually grapple a vehicle before the pursuit even begins,” Sgt. Rich Evans with Eagan Police said. “I would say many of those, and it would [have] stopped them sooner and more effectively and been safer to use in that capacity.”
Eagan police have two Grapplers on squad cars, each costing $5,000.