luckie
06-15-2006, 04:19 PM
The cop on the beat simply glides down the street: Two-wheeled crime fighters pleased passersby on a test run on the streets of downtown Minneapolis.
by Bill McAuliffe
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune News
June 15, 2006
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/493817.html
http://www.startribune.com/media/2006/06/14/21/2segway0615.embedded.jpg
In the heart of the Minneapolis theater district, two Metro Transit police officers stole the show Wednesday. Officers Donn Wallin and Scott Tinucci combined law enforcement with what looked like a circus act, putting their new Segway Human Transporters through a street and sidewalk test.
"Cool!" several passersby said. Three skateboarders gave them a thumbs-up. "How fast do those things go?" asked a motorcyclist turning a corner in front of them. "One hundred!" Tinucci shot back with a laugh. The two $6,000 cruisers actually top out at about 16 miles per hour, but officials expect them to be a valuable addition to downtown street patrols.
"That's faster than I can run," Wallin said. The two-wheeled, battery-powered devices are expected to move officers quickly through crowds and help them see and be seen over most people's heads. They'll be used primarily at the Metrodome light-rail platforms on game days and along Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Mall. More than 125 law enforcement agencies around the world use Segways, according to Carla Vallone, spokeswoman for the manufacturer. St. Paul police have a pair, donated by a business group, for use downtown. In some cities, parking monitors and utility inspectors use them to help lower emissions and fuel costs, Vallone said.
Bloomington's bomb squad, which works all over the state, uses them so that its bomb-searchers can cover more ground and expend less energy in non-breathable, 100-pound suits. Metro Transit bought the Segways with federal money. In only their second day on the rigs, Tinucci and Wallin said their biggest problem was watching out for sidewalk obstacles, particularly low-hung signs. And they were able to respond to one traffic accident and help with one collar. "Plus, people love these things," Wallin said.
Staff writer Howie Padilla contributed to this report.
by Bill McAuliffe
Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune News
June 15, 2006
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/493817.html
http://www.startribune.com/media/2006/06/14/21/2segway0615.embedded.jpg
In the heart of the Minneapolis theater district, two Metro Transit police officers stole the show Wednesday. Officers Donn Wallin and Scott Tinucci combined law enforcement with what looked like a circus act, putting their new Segway Human Transporters through a street and sidewalk test.
"Cool!" several passersby said. Three skateboarders gave them a thumbs-up. "How fast do those things go?" asked a motorcyclist turning a corner in front of them. "One hundred!" Tinucci shot back with a laugh. The two $6,000 cruisers actually top out at about 16 miles per hour, but officials expect them to be a valuable addition to downtown street patrols.
"That's faster than I can run," Wallin said. The two-wheeled, battery-powered devices are expected to move officers quickly through crowds and help them see and be seen over most people's heads. They'll be used primarily at the Metrodome light-rail platforms on game days and along Hennepin Avenue and Nicollet Mall. More than 125 law enforcement agencies around the world use Segways, according to Carla Vallone, spokeswoman for the manufacturer. St. Paul police have a pair, donated by a business group, for use downtown. In some cities, parking monitors and utility inspectors use them to help lower emissions and fuel costs, Vallone said.
Bloomington's bomb squad, which works all over the state, uses them so that its bomb-searchers can cover more ground and expend less energy in non-breathable, 100-pound suits. Metro Transit bought the Segways with federal money. In only their second day on the rigs, Tinucci and Wallin said their biggest problem was watching out for sidewalk obstacles, particularly low-hung signs. And they were able to respond to one traffic accident and help with one collar. "Plus, people love these things," Wallin said.
Staff writer Howie Padilla contributed to this report.