PARMA, Ohio — The Parma Police Department is one of three agencies in Northeast Ohio that use a specialized bumper to stop police chases, and officers say it’s safer than traditional methods.
Parma officer Brad Sala used the Grappler on Aug. 20 to help Brooklyn police stop a chase on Brookpark Road after speeds reached 112 mph.
“I think this guy was clueless; he didn’t know what hit him,” Sala said.
Over the past four years, several police chases in Cuyahoga County have ended with people seriously hurt or killed. Two chases by the same Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s deputy killed three people in five months. Several Parma police chases ended in serious crashes in which three people died.
Parma Police say the Grappler is an answer to increased chases in their city.
How it works
Parma has three cruisers with the specialized bumper.
When it folds down, a large net extends out and underneath the rear tire of the car police are chasing. The net wraps around the tire, and a long tether lets police apply the brakes and bring the car to a controlled stop. An officer can release the tether if it gets too dangerous.
“If, God forbid, the car loses control, or I need distance from the car if something happens..." Sala said.
According to the company Grappler Police Bumper, the device that looks like a normal push bumper on police cruisers can be used on highways, streets, and even in snowy conditions. The ideal speed is lower than 70.
“The whole purpose of this device is to prevent a reckless individual from speeding through an intersection and injuring or killing somebody,” the company said.
The Aug. 20 chase was Sala’s first successful use of the device outside of training.
He was going about 40 mph at the time.
“It’s not as violent as you think; it’s just a slight jerk, but it was a lot less violent than I expected,” Sala said.
Chase-stopping options
Police also use stop sticks in chases. During the Aug. 20 chase, the driver drove around the device.
“They’re notoriously dangerous,” Sala said.
Other departments use PIT maneuvers by hitting the back end with the cruiser, causing a spinout.
Parma Police have had seven successful uses of the Grappler.
“This is a great tool; it’s a safer, more controlled way to stop a pursuit,” Sala said.
Other agencies
Both the Garfield Heights Police Department and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department also use the Grappler.
Garfield Heights Police say they bought a Chevrolet Tahoe and the Grappler system in June 2024. According to the department, they connected with Parma, and the two agencies worked together to install the equipment and conduct training.
In Garfield Heights, the Grappler cruiser is assigned to four officers certified to use it. The department has had two successful deployments and two in which the device didn’t make correct contact.
Police say they reviewed those cases to improve future use.
Garfield Heights is now training additional officers on the device and plans to add three more Grapplers to its fleet.
The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department got a Grappler in November 2025, and only one deputy is trained on the device; that deputy is also the certified trainer.
The county has successfully deployed the Grappler nine times.
Parma Police don't have a published policy for the Grappler yet.
“We’ve had pursuits end in crashes and injuries. Obviously, we don’t like to see that, so seeing a successful one with no injuries—we got both people detained; it was awesome,” Sala said.
