Hootie hoo! NYPD buys 10 Segways

The New York City Police Department bought ten Segway Personal Transporters (PTs) today, the first of these two-wheeled electric vehicles purchased by the City of New York. The popular tourist areas Central Park and Coney Island, as well as other city parks and beaches, are the likely targets for the Segways, which are the new i2 models that can go 12.5 mph, carry 260 pounds and have a range of 24 miles. They cost $5,660 a piece and the police version can be equipped with sirens.

Police departments in a lot of other cities - form Chicago and Honolulu to Miami and El Paso - currently use Segway PTs. Segway says the appealing factors for police include added height to see over crowds, faster travel speed (compared to walking), indoor operability, and "officers are also more approachable when on Segway PTs, making them highly effective in community policing applications." I'll say.

Segway's release is after the jump.

Related:

• Energy efficiency study finds Segways are 5-20 times more energy efficient than cars
• The Onion spoofs the Segway - with link to the video
• A look at the Segway Centaur - double the wheels, double the fun?
• Miles Automotive, Segway and ZENN join EDTA

[Source: Segway]
Segway Announces NYPD Purchase of Segway(R) Personal Transporters

Company's Police/Security Customer Base Reaches 400 Agencies, Up More Than 100 Percent From Year Ago

BEDFORD, N.H., May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Segway Inc. today announced that the New York City Police Department has purchased a fleet of 10 Segway(R) Personal Transporters (PTs) it will deploy on patrols in city parks this summer. The use of the Segway i2 Police units will help the department increase patrol coverage in park environments, improve emergency response times by patrol officers and reduce carbon emissions. The units are expected to be used for security patrols in Central Park, Coney Island, and other city parks and beaches. This is the first Segway PT purchase by the City of New York.

"We are honored to count the NYPD as users of our latest police technology," said Jim Norrod, chief executive officer for Segway Inc. "The i2 Police units will help the city save on fuel costs and enable patrol officers to provide a higher level of security in many of the city's busiest areas."

Worldwide, more than 400 police and security agencies now use Segway PTs to patrol downtown business districts, airports, parks and campuses, up from 150 a year ago. The Chicago Police Department, one of the earliest adopters of this patrol technology, has more than 50 Segway PTs deployed in the Loop, along the city's lakefront and at O'Hare and Midway Airports. The Italian Railway Police, which is the company's largest international security customer, has 75 units patrolling the country's largest rail stations. Other major police departments acquiring Segway PTs in the past year include Honolulu, Seattle, Albuquerque, Miami-Dade, Tampa, El Paso, and Bridgeport, Conn.

Much of the appeal of Segway PTs among patrol officers can be attributed to the unique performance characteristics of the machines:

• Officers stand eight inches taller on a Segway PT, enabling them to see and be seen over crowds and automobiles.
• The Segway PT allows an officer to move 2-3 times walking speed thus covering much more area than he or she could patrol on foot and decreasing response times.
• Officers are also more approachable when on Segway PTs, making them highly effective in community policing applications.
• Unlike gas-powered vehicles, the Segway PT can go indoors and out, while tackling a variety of terrain including pavement, grass and hills.
• Segway PTs are self-balancing, even when standing still, and take up no more space than a human. This makes them an ideal patrol tool when moving through crowds, on sidewalks, or in and out of tight spaces like elevators.
• With the exception of battery recharging there is no regular maintenance required on the Segway PT. The device can also be used in the rain and cold, and its batteries are operable to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Segway PTs use no gasoline and give off no emissions during operation, allowing cities to reduce fuel consumption. Because the product is electric, battery recharging costs are extremely low - approximately 25 cents per day.

The Segway i2 Police units purchased by the New York Police Department are the newest generation models. The i2 model has a range of up to 24 miles, a top speed of 12.5 m.p.h. and a payload of 260 lbs. When the i2 is equipped with the Police package it becomes an ideal solution for urban street patrols and community policing initiatives. The i2 Police includes a handlebar bag for gear, an accessory bar for lights and sirens, reflective police/security labels, comfort mats, an LED taillight, and cargo frames that double as lift handles. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for the i2 Police package is $5,660.