![]() There is however new technology just entering the market that addresses these weaknesses that police departments should consider. While proper training and practice can minimize the risks associated with the current tire deflation devices, injuries and deaths will continue to occur. Countless officers have been severely injured when the device gets caught up in the fleeing vehicle’s tires and the rope is violently pulled from the officer’s hand. In all too many cases, a fleeing vehicle attempts to drive around the tire deflation device and ends up hitting the police officer.Īnother significant weakness is the need for a police officer to hold onto a rope so that the tire deflation device can be pulled from the road to prevent the spiking of the pursuit vehicles. This requires the police officer to stand along the road, adjacent to the very thing a fleeing vehicle is trying to avoid. The biggest single weakness is the need for the officer to stand along the road and essentially throw the device into the path of the fleeing vehicle. There are several weaknesses with the current tire deflation technology that places police officers in harm’s way. Additionally, several officers have been fatally struck by police vehicles during the chaotic moments of deploying and retracting the devices. ![]() There have been many documented cases of offenders intentionally striking officers on the side of the road who were attempting to deploy spike strips. ![]() Offenders who are fleeing from pursuing officers have no concern for other motorists, let alone the officers chasing them or attempting to stop them. Just recently, a North Carolina State Trooper was killed while deploying a tire deflation device to halt a driver wanted for a variety of felony charges including kidnapping, burglary and robbery.ĭeploying tire deflation devices is a real danger for police officers. The Officer Down Memorial Page website, located at lists the names of 21 police officers that are known to have been killed while deploying a tire deflation device. While these tire deflation devices or “spike strips” have helped bring thousands of high speed chases to an end, there are inherent risks associated with their use. The two most popular models currently in use are the Stinger® sold by Federal Signal and the Stop Stick® sold by Stop Tech Inc. For almost 25 years now, police departments across the country have been using tire deflation devices to help bring high speed pursuits to an end.
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