NYPD’s new sets of wheels: Segways
Police officers assigned to parks and beaches for the summer will get around on Segways, the motorized scooters once described as the first great invention of the 21st century.
Patrol officers earlier used the two-wheeled vehicles in Central and Prospect parks on a trial basis, but they were recalled because they tended to fall over when the battery ran low.
The problem has been fixed, and now the New York Police Department has spent $53,000 to buy 10 for use beginning today.
“The obvious advantages are visibility and mobility,” said Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. “We’re assigning them to parks and beaches because they’re suitable for the pathways and boardwalks there.”
The Segways can reach speeds of up to 13 mph.
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