The new strips, called the Stinger Spike System, are manufactured by Federal Signal Corp. and cost about $400 each, said Lt. Carey Brooks. The money to pay for the strips comes from a $110,000 federal Department of Homeland Security grant, Brooks said.
The strips consist of dozens of 1½-inch to 3-inch hollow metal barbs held in a nylon base from 10 to 25 feet long.
When a vehicle passes over the strip, the barbs enter the tires at an angle. It takes from 10 to 20 seconds for the tires to go flat.
The strips are designed to leave no debris in the roadway, said acting Sgt. Kevin Rausis, an instructor at the San Diego Regional Public Safety Training Institute.