Grappler deployment rises in Thurston County, as safer arrests show proven results 

Grapplers, the steel-armed devices that clamp down on a suspect’s tire at highway speed, are now firmly embedded and ready for expansion in Thurston County’s law enforcement response strategy to fleeing suspects. 

On Tuesday, April 8, county officials discussed another deal with Stock Enterprises, LLC, which is paid for through the already awarded federal Justice Assistance Grant.

The deal, which is valued at $20,200.55, was discussed at the Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) agenda setting meeting.

According to Sheriff Derek Sanders, the purchase includes two new Grappler units and an additional supply of tether nets, which are often used up quickly during active deployments. 

He confirmed this was the fourth time the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) had sought the BoCC’s approval for a single-source procurement of the same equipment. 

In five known deployments, Sanders said the devices have worked reliably.  

“They’ve been extremely effective. In all but one case, there was no vehicle damage.” Sanders revealed. 

To illustrate how the system works, Sanders shared multiple cases, including one where a woman accused of making bomb threats, who was driving with a child in the car, was stopped. Deputies used the Grappler to end the pursuit quickly, with no contact needed. 

“We were able to grapple that one. No pit maneuver, nothing like that. Child OK, and we took her into custody. I think the car had a little tiny dent in the bumper from the result of it,” Sanders said. 

He described the units as “over-engineered,” noting they are made of “12-gauge steel” and built to endure repeated impacts.  Most remain functional after “being rammed” with only minor surface damage. 

Only one Grappler has been lost in the field. A DUI suspect struck a patrol vehicle head-on, destroying the system. 

Sanders disclosed the mentioned Grappler “did not survive” and the TCSO “got to throw that Grappler into the spare parts.”

The department salvaged the unit’s internal gas shocks, which Sanders identified as the only vulnerable component in the otherwise rugged design. 

Recent deployments 

As posted in the sheriff's official Facebook page on March 3, deputies were called to assist Washington State Patrol (WSP) during a pursuit on Interstate 5  involving a suspect with expired registration tabs. As the vehicle fled southbound, it began to catch fire. 

“TCSO successfully deployed the Grappler, stopping the suspect vehicle less than five minutes from the time of request. The driver fled on foot and was tackled by Troopers and taken into custody. He is under arrest for eluding and DUI,” the post read. 

The vehicle, still smoking, continued to burn after the stop. The tether-release feature allowed deputies to detach from the suspect vehicle and pull away safely. 

Sanders said this was the final use of the TCSO’s first supply of nets. 

“Our second order of nets arrived just in time to get our units back in action,” the post noted. 

Less than four weeks later, on March 27, a Grappler was again deployed, and this time under a preemptive use policy. 

As stated in Sanders’ post, Nisqually Tribal Police had terminated a pursuit of a suspected DUI driver, who later resurfaced in the Lacey area. 

“A grappler-equipped deputy located the car driving at normal speeds in the Lacey area three minutes later and conducted a preemptive grapple, stopping the vehicle immediately,” the department reported.  

The suspect was arrested with assistance from K-9 Mac and returned to tribal custody. 

Under current TCSO guidelines, deputies can deploy the Grappler without activating emergency lights or giving notice when the person recently ran or committed a felony. 

“This allows deputies to stop criminals before they can drive recklessly again, subsequently protecting the motoring public from the risk they pose others,” the TCSO explained. 

In-house installation 

To reduce expenses and avoid installation delays, the department partnered with Stock Enterprises to host a training session. 

Undersheriff Ruben Mancillas reported the county trained and certified its own staff to install the systems. As a result, TCSO no longer needs to pay outside contractors the $2,000 installation cost per unit. 

Sanders supported the claim and added in-house capability allows the TCSO to equip vehicles faster and keep more units field-ready. 

Mutual aid logic 

Framing the matter as one of resource management, BoCC Vice Chair Wayne Fournier asked whether it was time to revisit how Grappler-related expenses are handled between agencies, such as WSP. He said it may be worth discussing how often county resources are used without compensation. 

Sanders said TCSO follows a “mutual aid” approach rather than billing other agencies for specific services. 

He said WSP frequently asks TCSO for Grappler assistance during pursuits. Thurston County always responds.

In exchange, WSP offers help when the county needs it, using aircraft to follow suspects or deploying spike strips at highway speeds. 

Sanders said the arrangement benefits both sides, and removes the need to chase reimbursement. 

“One Grappler net cost us $350. … By the time we go through the process of sending someone a bill, we may as well have just ordered that net and reloaded it,” he said. 

Speed limit, policy gray zones 

In terms of transparency and public tracking, Commissioner Emily Clouse inquired if Grappler use is shown on the department’s “use-of-force dashboard.”

Sanders said it isn’t, at least not for now. 

“But it will be on the pursuit dashboard that we’re creating. It’ll show the different techniques we use like how many Grapplers, StarChase, pit maneuvers, Tactical Vehicle Interventions (TVIs).” 

Clouse then brought up a pursuit that ended with a vehicle flipping, a case captured on video and widely shared online. 

Sanders confirmed the video showed their first-ever grappler deployment. The incident involved a stolen car traveling 92 miles per hour (mph) on Delphi Road. 

He stated the tether snapped from the force caused by the suspect vehicle speeding while the patrol car slowed down. The sudden tension pulled the fleeing car around sharply. 

“There was so much tension between the car speeding and the patrol car slowing. … It yanked the car, spun it around, and it hit a tree,” he explained. 

Sanders revealed the suspect was being pursued for “eluding law enforcement, reckless driving and possession of a stolen vehicle.” Deputies searched the vehicle after the arrest and found both “narcotics and a stolen handgun.” 

The case then raised further questions about the speed limit at which the Grappler should be deployed. 

According to the manufacturer, the Grappler system is not recommended for use at speeds above 75 (mph). 

However, Sanders acknowledged the risks and explained while deputies have used it in situations where suspects were going much faster, they try to avoid doing so unless absolutely necessary. 

He said in some cases, the risk to the public is high enough to justify deploying the Grappler at 90 mph. But the preferred approach is to use spike strips first to slow the vehicle down, then deploy the grappler to “bring the car to a safe stop.” 

Once the new units are added, about 30 patrol vehicles in the county will carry Grapplers. 

Sanders confirmed the number is a solid ratio and assures that, at almost any given time, a Grappler-equipped deputy is on duty somewhere in the county. 

The BoCC reclassified the Grappler contract as a department item, removing it from the consent agenda to allow time for further discussion.