'Grappler Police Bumper' systems expand in Thurston County 

The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) is set to receive 17 Grappler Police Bumper systems after the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) voted to approve a $109,343.48 contract for the equipment on Dec. 17. 

The Grappler system, a net-based technology, provides a safer alternative for high-speed pursuits by reducing risks to deputies and the community. 

Deployed from the front of a patrol car, the device attaches to the rear tire of a suspect’s vehicle, allowing deputies to control it and bring it to a safe, controlled stop. 

Background and approvals 

The purchase, from Stock Enterprises LLC, is partially funded through grants and has received necessary approvals from various county offices. 

A timeline of approvals and funding decisions is as follows: 

• April 24: The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) and Risk Management approved the contract, with only numerical updates made since. 

• April 30: The BoCC approved the Sheriff’s Office’s single-source request for six Grappler units at a cost of $48,662.92. 

• Early May 2024: Risk Management confirmed $39,550.09 in funding from the Washington Counties Pool. 

• June 18: The BoCC approved additional Grappler purchases using the Washington Counties Pool funding. 

• Dec. 2: The internal auditor approved the purchase. 

“We are in the process of securing one final grant for this,” said Sheriff Derek Sanders during the meeting. “We will be back before you guys again to get final authorization for two more.” 

Federal grant boosts funding 

Earlier this month, the Thurston County Sheriff's Office received $19,809 in federal Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funding to purchase two Grappler Police Bumper systems. 

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the grant in a press release on Dec. 11. 

The Byrne grants, named in honor of New York City Police Officer Edward R. Byrne, who was killed in the line of duty in 1988, are awarded to law enforcement agencies to support public safety initiatives. 

Thurston County is one of 13 agencies in Washington selected to receive funding, totaling $2.6 million across the state. 

"The proposals being funded this cycle range from high-tech items for officer safety, such as drones, robots, and ballistic vests, to officer recruitment programs and school resource officers," said U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman in their press release.

"There is even a grant for something called 'The Grappler,' which assists officers with safely stopping a fleeing vehicle in a high-speed chase." 

Innovative partnerships and deployment 

The Sheriff’s Office began deploying its first 10 Grappler units earlier this year, also funded by grants. 

“Deputies begin their training tonight at Olympia Airport, where they will practice grappling one of our totalled-out police vehicles.” wrote Sanders in an October Facebook post when the first units were delivered. 

The Grappler devices, invented by Arizona-based Leonard Stock, have gained traction nationwide. Stock personally installed the initial units in Thurston County and trained deputies on their use. 

“TCSO will be one of the first agencies in the state to utilize the technology,” Sanders wrote. “Leonard designed the device in his garage after seeing the negative impacts that eluding drivers place on their communities, and now he’s having a hard time meeting demand nationwide for the technology.” 

Sanders also noted that Thurston County is now recognized as a statewide leader in police pursuit safety. 

“We will be the only agency in the state that is certified to train and install them,” he announced to the BoCC. 

Thurston County Sheriff’s Office displays its fleet of vehicles equipped with Grappler Police Bumpers, designed to safely stop fleeing vehicles.

Photo courtesy of Thurston County Sheriff's Office

Cost savings highlighted 

During the Dec. 17 meeting, the BoCC praised the Sheriff’s Office for reducing costs and finding external funding sources to minimize the impact on the county’s general fund. 

“One point the sheriff brought up during a briefing on this item was that the cost for the Grappler systems has actually gone down,” said Commissioner Emily Clouse. 

Sanders attributed the cost savings to bulk purchasing, which eliminated vendor fees by enabling in-house training and installation. 

“The reason the cost went down is because we bought so many of these from Grappler that they’re actually going to train our county shop staff and some of our deputies on how to install and train them internally, so we no longer have to pay the vendor fee, which is a huge deal,” Sanders explained. 

He added, “The county could even see revenue sources come in as additional agencies are getting more interested in these devices specifically.” 

The new Grappler units are expected to be deployed early next year, adding to the Sheriff’s Office’s existing fleet.