Monona committee backs adding 'Grappler' pursuit device to police policy, recommends council approval

The Monona Public Safety Committee voted to recommend that the City Council amend the Monona Police Department’s pursuit policy to permit use of a grappler device as a pursuit intervention tool, with an amended speed threshold read into the motion.

A police presenter described the grappler as a net-based device mounted on a front push bumper that is designed to entangle a target vehicle’s rear axle or suspension components and, when the deploying vehicle brakes, slow the target vehicle to a stop. The presenter said the device requires officer training and certification and replacement consumables each deployment.

The committee reviewed video examples from other jurisdictions, including Eagan, Minnesota, and a Detroit suburb, showing deployments the presenter characterized as largely successful. The presenter said Monona would be among the first agencies in Wisconsin to adopt the device if council approves the change.

Policy language to incorporate the grappler was developed with reference to sample policies used by other Lexipol clients; the presenter said Lexipol did not supply a Wisconsin template because no Wisconsin agency currently uses the device. The presenter reported consultation with the city attorney, who—according to the presenter—indicated the device would not present different liability exposure beyond existing pursuit interventions when used consistent with policy and training.

Cost and equipment details provided to the committee included a quoted package price (kit, operator training and two replacement nets) of roughly $8,000 and an approximate $300 replacement net cost per deployment. The presenter said the devices must be mounted on a truck chassis (for example, an F-150) and cannot be fit to the department’s unibody SUVs; Monona currently has one suitable truck. The presenter proposed using asset-forfeiture funds to pay for an initial kit and said the department might seek city funding to equip additional vehicles if deployments prove successful.

Committee members asked about liability if a pursued vehicle struck a third party after deployment; the presenter referenced a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and the city attorney's guidance, saying case law generally treats reasonable pursuit interventions as lawful and that liability typically attaches only when an officer acts outside policy or law. The presenter also acknowledged limits and manufacturer recommendations for the device (speed ranges and vehicle types) and suggested the committee clarify a minimum/maximum speed provision in the policy language.

The committee amended the draft policy language during the meeting to read, as part of the pursuit-section addition, that "target vehicle speed must be less than 75 miles per hour unless the use of deadly force is justified." A committee member moved to recommend the amended policy to council; the committee approved the recommendation by voice vote with the chair declaring the motion passed.

If council approves, the department will require officer training, a vehicle equipped with the device for deployment, and a procedure for replacing nets after use. The presenter said replacement nets and additional kits are not large capital items but that the initial kit and training are significant one-time costs for a small agency.