Batman-like technology needed to stop deadly high-speed car chases in California: congresswoman

A Southern California congresswoman said law enforcement agencies need to money to be able to purchase critical modern technology in order to reduce deadly high-speed car chases in the Golden State.

Laura Friedman (CA-30) this week announced her Next Gen Road Safety Act, which would unlock federal funding for better technology to deescalate car chases like the Batman-like gadget that was deployed in Southern California this week to stop a suspect in a high-speed car chase.

“Every person on our roads deserves to get home safe — the officer on patrol, the family driving to dinner, the teenager walking to school,” Friedman said in a press release about her safety act.

“Right now, our officers are facing a massive technology gap. They don’t have the modern tools to de-escalate dangerous chases quickly and safely.”

The congresswoman explained that her measure would unlock “federal investment through the COPS grant program” for drones and other gadgets that she said will save lives.

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A list of the technology that could be available for law enforcement across the state include:

• Vehicle-disabling systems that can safely stop a fleeing car
• Police bumper systems that reduce the risk of dangerous collisions
• Drones that can track a vehicle from the air so officers don’t have to put themselves or the public in danger on the ground

“This bill is simple, it’s bipartisan, and it will save lives. I’m proud that law enforcement leaders and road safety advocates are standing together today — because when we invest in smarter tools, everybody wins,” Friedman said.

Earlier this week, similar technology was used by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department during a high speed pursuit in Jurupa Valley on Wednesday-— before the man shot himself dead.

Incredible video showed police deploying a new grappling device that hooked to the bottom of a vehicle and spun it out of control and into the guardrails.

After the high-speed crash, a three-hour standoff ensued as the suspect refused to exit the crushed vehicle, leading deputies to utilize drones, armored vehicles, and eventually tear gas to force a surrender.

Once officers breached the vehicle, the suspect was found motionless inside. He was pronounced dead at the scene from what police said was a self-inflicted gunshot wound sustained during the standoff.