October Hit of the Month 2022: Clearwater Police Department [FL]

February 8, 2023

By: Zach Madden

October Stop Stick Hit of the Month

The winners and Nominees for Stop Stick’s Hit of the Month for October 2022.
October Stop Stick “Hit of the Month” program exists to recognize truly outstanding performance by law enforcement officers. We celebrate their exceptional results when successfully deploying the Stop Stick® Tire Deflation Device to end dangerous vehicle pursuits.

Every month, we receive hundreds of reports documenting successful Stop Stick® deployments from across the country. These submissions highlight stories of exceptional police work, tactical precision, and courage—all focused on bringing high-speed chases to a safe and swift conclusion.

From the many submissions, we select the top cases that demonstrate superior strategy and execution. Below are the departments that were nominated from the hundreds of submissions, and the one that has been selected as the October “Hit of the Month” winner.

October Stop Stick Hit of the Month Winner:

South

Clearwater Police Department
Clearwater, Florida

# of tires deflated: 3(R_Front, L_Front, L_Rear)
Pursuit Speed: 41-50 MPH
Time of Pursuit: 1 Minute
Miles Traveled after deployment: < 1
Target Vehicle Make: 2016 Ford Fusion
Deploying Officer(s): Ofc. Jared Karpiscak

Officer Karpiscak is our nominee for October’s Hit of the Month. Officer Karpiscak deployed Stop Sticks during a pursuit that initially started in Clearwater Beach. Clearwater Beach PD (CWBPD) had identified the suspect vehicle as stolen and CWBPD officers were monitoring its movements.

Officer Karpiscak learned of the vehicle’s movements and received instructions to deploy Stop Sticks on the Clearwater side of a bridge. Clearwater Beach PD (CWBPD) attempted a traffic stop as the suspects approached the bridge. However, the suspects ignored the commands and tried to elude officers across the bridge.

As the vehicle drove away from CWBPD, Officer Karpiscak deployed Stop Sticks. With nowhere to turn, the suspects hit the spikes. The vehicle immediately slowed as three of its tires went flat.

CWPD officers quickly surrounded the vehicle. Police took the driver and four occupants into custody without incident. All five face charges, including Grand Theft Auto, Fleeing/Eluding, Possession of Narcotics, Concealed Weapons, and Obstruction.

Officer Karpiscak’s deployment made for the quick termination of a pursuit, causing it to end quicker than it started. Ultimately, his use of communication and coordination with a neighboring police department resulted in the successful deployment and capture of potentially dangerous suspects.

Nominees

MIDWEST

Unadilla Township Police Department
Gregory, Michigan

# of tires deflated: 4
Pursuit Speed: 61-70 MPH
Time of Pursuit: 10 Minutes
Miles Traveled after deployment: < 1
Target Vehicle Make: 2006 Ford Fusion
Deploying Officer: Mark Reckling

Officer Mark Reckling of the Unadilla Township Police used Stop Sticks to terminate a chase involving an impaired driver. Specifically, the driver was driving on the wrong side of the road and failing to maintain their lane.

911 operators notified police about the wrong-way vehicle, and Pinckney PD subsequently located the car. When the officer turned on their lights, the suspect fled, starting a pursuit.

As the chase entered Unadilla Township, Officer Reckling deployed Stop Sticks. The vehicle hit the spikes, consequently causing all four tires to flatten. The suspect quickly slowed, but briefly lost control, striking a tree. Police quickly arrested the driver, who faces charges including DUI and fleeing and eluding.

Pinckney Police Chief Jeffery Garrison praised the collaboration, stating that it allowed police to safely stop the vehicle and prevent serious injuries.

EAST

Hopkinton Police Department
Contoocook, New Hampshire

https://www.hopkinton-nh.gov/police

# of tires deflated: 3
Pursuit Speed: 31-40 MPH
Time of Pursuit: 8 Minutes
Miles Traveled after deployment: < 1
Target Vehicle Make: 2017 Chevrolet Silverado
Deploying Officer: B. )’Connor & C. Molnar

Sgt. O’Connor was field training Officer Molnar when the call came over the radio. The report stated that a vehicle was driving northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 89. Fortunately, New Hampshire State Police were able to track the suspect vehicle and provide mile-by-mile updates because a city had contacted them.

As state Troopers responded, Sgt. O’Connor was able to deploy Stop Sticks across the interstate. Furthermore, he handed the cord reel off to Officer Molnar. Officer Molnar was then successfully able to pull the Stop Sticks in front of the wrong-way driver, flattening three of the vehicle’s tires.

Consequently, as the suspect’s tires deflated, the vehicle began to slow, eventually coming to a stop a little less than a mile after the deployment. Finally, police apprehended the driver without further incident.

West

Lacey Police Department
Lacey, Washington

# of tires deflated: 2
Pursuit Speed: 0-10 MPH
Time of Pursuit: 36 Minutes
Miles Traveled after deployment: 2
Target Vehicle Make: 2019 Dodge Charger
Deploying Officer: Officer Aaron McBride

Officer McBride deployed Stop Sticks on a vehicle involved in a large quantity retail theft. Officer McBride deployed Stop Sticks on the suspect vehicle just as they attempted to leave the retail parking lot. Prior to this, they were reported to have just left with a felony dollar amount of goods.

After hitting Officer McBride’s Stop Sticks, the suspect vehicle attempted to flee, hitting another vehicle in the process. Subsequently, officers quickly located the suspect vehicle abandoned approximately one mile away. Officers quickly located the suspect and took them into custody without further incident.

Upon inspection of the vehicle, Officers found that someone had stolen the car. Furthermore, inside the car was stolen merchandise, counterfeit money, and equipment to produce counterfeit currency.

October Stop Stick: 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

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