USA: Two-wheeled electric Segway scooters are part of New York Police Department's (NYPD) transport

Record ID: 598639

  • Title: USA: Two-wheeled electric Segway scooters are part of New York Police Department's (NYPD) transport
  • Date: 1st June 2007
  • Summary: NYPD OFFICER ANNA SERRANO RIDING SEGWAY IN CENTRAL PARK WHEELS HANDS AND POLICE EMBLEM ON SEGWAY NYPD OFFICER ANNA SERRANO RIDING SEGWAY IN CENTRAL PARK (SOUNDBITE) (English) NYPD OFFICER ANNA SERRANO SAYING: "These are great. When I'm like 5 foot 3, when I'm on it, it makes me like 6 feet tall and I have higher visibility and I'm able to see everything." NYPD OFFICER ANNA SERRANO RIDING SEGWAY IN CENTRAL PARK (SOUNDBITE) (English) MAN ON STREET SAYING: "Why can't they use a bike? It's cheaper." (SOUNDBITE) (English) WOMAN ON STREET, CAROLINE LEDEY SAYING: "I guess the police presence is always a good thing as long as they're not speeding through the park and doing something like that." (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARC DUPONT SAYING: "I would see it more like a game or something very trendy or more like for fashion victims and I see cops on them, and you know it's funny." NYPD OFFICER ANNA SERRANO RIDING SEGWAY IN CENTRAL PARK
  • Embargoed: 16th June 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA500O6X3V60MC47ECM217KFN15
  • Story Text: New York police officer Rafael Valerio zipped through Central Park on a glorious spring day prompting a joyous chorus from a group of school children as he passed by. The excitement wasn't caused by Officer Valerio himself but rather his transport: a two-wheeled electric Segway scooter.
    The New York Police Department (NYPD) has purchased 10 new scooters made by Segway Inc. of Bedford, New Hampshire, that won't be used to combat crime - but rather to build relations with the public.
    So far the scooters are being used in Central Park, Yankee Stadium, and Shea Stadium for about two weeks. But aside from creating a stir among park goers, the benefits are questionable. There are no current plans however to use them on New York City streets police say.
    The police department says the Segways aren't a chase vehicle, but more an updated version of foot patrols.
    Officer Anna Serrano, who rides and trains officers on how to use the scooters, says the Segway still allows cops to be accessible to the public, while giving them a better vantage point and more mobility.
    Reactions to the scooters have been mixed, with some mothers like Caroline Ledey feeling more secure with increased police presence, while others, like Marc Dupont are simply amused.
    While NYPD says it will consider increasing its Segway patrols, the scooters are not yet legal for civilian use on the streets of New York City. A Brooklyn man alleges that he insured the scooter and tried to register it with the Department of Motor Vehicles, but was turned away. Shortly thereafter, the man was pulled over and issued a ticket for driving an "unregisterable vehicle."
    A quirky story.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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