Go, Go, Grappler: Colorado Highway Patrol Gadget Does Not Mess Around

The Colorado State Patrol has a gizmo to help troopers during vehicle pursuits, and it’s got one steady grip.

On October 16, the CSP shared videos of a police chase in El Paso County earlier this month. The pursuit took place shortly after 1 a.m. on October 5, but it didn’t last very long thanks to the Grappler Police Bumper system.

A trooper was responding to a crash on U.S Route 24 early that morning when he reported a silver Dodge Ram 2500 going 87 miles per hour in a 55 MPH zone. According to the CSP, the driver “refused to slow down or stop” after police lights and a siren were activated. The Dodge Ram then began “accelerating and weaving into oncoming lanes of traffic” before turning onto Marksheffel Road, near Colorado Springs Airport and Peterson Air Force Base.

“The driver turned into oncoming traffic and then back in front of the trooper and continued to flee,” the CSP notes. And that’s when the Grappler came out.

The device is attached to the front of a CSP vehicle, and when called into duty can latch onto a moving vehicle after getting close enough to make contact with a rear bumper or tires.

In the October 5 incident, the Grappler quickly entangled the Dodge Ram’s rear tire and ended the chase, the video shows. Watch the action (and hear the trooper’s hype-up music during the chase) below.

The suspect driver, 22-year-old Davonta Skaggs of Pueblo, was taken into custody and charged with speeding, reckless driving, driving without a license and vehicular eluding creating a substantial injury risk. Four passengers, two of whom were juveniles, were also in the vehicle. One of the juveniles was taken into custody for possession of a firearm, and the other three passengers were released to a legal guardian, according to the CSP.

Although this is the first time we’ve noticed the Grappler, it’s actually been a steadily growing option for troopers since 2021, with over 25 CSP vehicles currently equipped with the tech. Some sheriff’s offices also have vehicles that can do a little grapplin’, including those in Douglas County.

It’s not quite James Bond’s underwater Aston Martin, but she’ll do.