News - Local

Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009

Segways will bolster OS police patrols

OCEAN SPRINGS — Police officers patrolling the City of Discovery are taking a stand for safety.

The department purchased two Segway X2 Patroller personal transporters for use by officers during sporting events and festivals and also for regular downtown patrol.

Segways are two-wheeled, one-person, no-seat scooters that can travel up to 12 miles per hour. They’re powered by two lithium batteries so the cost of fuel — electricity — is relatively cheap, and the scooter can travel up to 24 miles on a single charge.

The Ocean Springs PD Segways include police lights, all-terrain tires and a hard case for the officers’ ticket books and accessories.

The Segways and accessories cost the department $15,000, which came from a grant acquired by Ward 6 Alderman James Hagen and approved by the board.

Three officers have been trained to teach others how to use the Segways. The department requires officers to be certified before operating the Segways, said Deputy Chief Mark Dunston.

“We treat them like any other specialized piece of equipment,” he said.

The Segways will give police an advantage over foot patrol because they put officers about 8 inches above the crowd, making them more visible to those who need police services, while giving officers better visibility as well.

Besides clip-on tail light that blinks red, officers wear a wireless key on a wrist strap that renders the Segway inoperable if the officer has to leave his scooter for foot pursuit.

The transporters are also sturdy and can take some rough handling, Dunston said.

“The way it’s designed, he can jump off or drop it and give chase,” he said.

The department has used the personal vehicles for three weeks, but plans to test their effectiveness over the next few months. Dunston said he would like to add to the fleet if the money is available.

The department is also in the process of reinstituting bicycle patrols. “There’s a lot of places that you can go on Segways and bicycles that you can’t go in a patrol car,” Dunston said.

Ocean Springs is the first in Jackson County to try Segway patrols.

According to a Segway press release, there are more than 1,000 in use as patrol vehicles. The personal transporters offer municipalities, airports, military bases, security firms and emergency response teams the ability to reconnect officers with the communities they serve, improve response time and save on fuel and fleet maintenance costs.

Segways offer impressive energy efficiency, according to the company.

They say the scooters cost about a penny per mile of travel.