Hit of the Month: July

The winners and Nominees for Stop Stick’s Hit of the Month for July 2022.
“Hit of the Month” is Stop Stick, Ltd.’s program to recognize truly outstanding performance results coming from the successful deployment of Stop Stick® Tire Deflation Device in ending pursuits. Every month hundreds of reports are received from across the country documenting successful deployments of Stop Sticks®. These reports detail stories of exceptional police work and proper deployment of the Stop Stick® Tire Deflation Device to bring pursuits to an end safely. Below are the departments that were nominated from the hundreds of submissions, and the ones who have been selected as the “Hit of the Month”.

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Winner:

South

Ormond Beach Police Department
Ormond Beach, Florida

• # of tires deflated: 3
• Pursuit Speed: Not Listed
• Time of Pursuit: < 5 Minutes
• Miles Traveled after deployment: < 1
• Target Vehicle Make: 2022 Nissan Maxima
• Deploying Officer(s): Justin Hatt, Josh Delong

Ormond Beach Police Department deployed Stop Sticks in assisting a joint sting operation with the Volusia Sheriff’s office. The suspect vehicle was reported for suspicious activity and was being observed by the Volusia Sheriff’s office and Ormond Beach PD in unmarked vehicles. The suspects were seen entering a housing complex known for suspicious activity. As the joint operation continued surveillance on the suspects and vehicle. Ormond Beach Officers Justin Hyatt and Josh Delong set up their Stop Sticks at the only entrance/exit for the housing development as a secondary means to attempt to stop the suspects should they flee upon leaving the complex. After monitoring the suspects for several hours the vehicle made its way to the complex’s exit, where both Officer Hyatt and Delong were waiting in marked vehicles. As the suspect vehicle approached their location they gave the driver verbal commands to stop the vehicle, ignoring the officers the suspects began accelerating towards in an attempt to flee. Officer Hyatt and Delong realized the suspects weren’t planning on stopping and began to pull their Stop Sticks across the road. Making a clean deployment the suspect’s vehicle ended up with 3 flat tires which caused the driver and passenger to abandon the car on foot less than a mile down the road. One suspect was immediately taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit, the second suspect would make a brief getaway but was eventually located and taken into custody as well.

Both suspects were charged with multiple felonies and picked up on outstanding warrant charges.

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Nominees

East

Anne Arundel County Police Department
Millersville, Maryland

• # of tires deflated: 2
• Pursuit Speed: 81-90 MPH
• Time of Pursuit: 20 Minutes
• Miles Traveled after deployment: 3
• Target Vehicle Make: 2020 Toyota RAV 4
• Deploying Officer: Pfc. Clagett

Pfc Clagett of the Anne Arundel County Police Department earned our nomination for Hit of the Month for their deployment of Stop Sticks which resulted in the successful pursuit termination and capture of a suspect who had carjacked and assaulted a security guard at the Westfield Annapolis Mall.

The victim had been pulled from their marked security vehicle in the mall parking lot. The suspect then took the vehicle off the property where it was observed by the Anne Arundel Co. Police fleeing the scene. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to comply. Pfc. Clagett was able to position themself ahead of the target vehicle and set up Stop Stick. As the suspect’s car approached Pfc Clagett’s position they were able to successfully deploy Stop Stick flattening the vehicle’s front wheels. The suspect realizing they weren’t able to flee anymore decided to flee on foot but was ultimately caught and charged accordingly.

 

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MID-WEST

Clinton County Sheriff’s Office
St. Johns, Michigan

• # of tires deflated: 3
• Pursuit Speed: 111-120 MPH
• Time of Pursuit: 63 Minutes
• Miles Traveled after deployment: 2
• Target Vehicle Make: 2015 Chrysler 200
• Deploying Officer: Deputy Nelson

 

Deputy Nelson made his Stop Stick deployment on the evening of July 16, 2022, which just so happened to coincide with his birthday, he stated in his report that this was his first time using Stop Stick in 4.5 years, and felt like his deployment made for a great birthday present. His deployment was in response to a vehicle that had refused to stop for another agency, Deputy Nelson Stated that “ This pursuit was finished in under ten minutes due to the efficiency of Stop Stick.” The suspect was quickly arrested without any further incident and was charged with DWI, multiple traffic violations, and an outstanding warrant.

 

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WEST

Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
San Jose, California

• # of tires deflated: 2
• Pursuit Speed: 91-100 MPH
• Time of Pursuit: 24Minutes
• Miles Traveled after deployment: 6
• Target Vehicle Make: 2006 Toyota Corolla
• Deploying Officer: Deputy Vesey

Deputies attempted to stop a vehicle, occupied by two people, for speeding and recognized the vehicle was stolen after getting a hit on their plate reader. The California Highway Patrol attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the suspects chose to flee. As the CHP and Santa Clara Deputies pursued the vehicle the suspects began tossing several items and bags out of the passenger window. As law enforcement gave chase the suspects attempted to turn onto a westbound freeway where Deputy Vesey was at the ready with Stop Sticks deployed. The target vehicle hit the deputy’s Stop Sticks but continued to attempt to flee until both the front and rear driver-side tires came off the vehicle. The suspects were taken into custody without further incident after giving up the pursuit. Law enforcement was able to recover a loaded Glock firearm, several bags containing meth, and recently stolen personal identifying information (Mail) that was thrown from the vehicle during the pursuit.

The driver is facing a litany of charges including illegal possession of a loaded firearm, possession of the stolen property, reckless evading, possession of illegal substances, and identity theft.

The passenger was also wanted for $65,000 worth of felony warrants for identity theft as well.

 

Overall the pursuit lasted roughly 24 minutes and covered approximately 37 miles.

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To register for Stop Stick® Hit of the Month, please submit a Deployment Report using the Link: https://stopstick.com/deployment-report/

You can be considered for Video of the year by uploading Dashcam, or Bodycam footage after submitting your Deployment Report.
If you know an officer who should be nominated for Hit of the Month please submit a pursuit report: https://stopstick.com/home/pursuit-reporting