Segways For Use In Law Enforcement
Final year I heard about Police Departments across the nation getting Segways and I wondered if there was a use for them in the realm of Law Enforcement. I noticed news footage of men and women using Segways and they appeared slow and bulky. I also figured they should be harmful soon after viewing so a lot of video clips of men and women crashing on them ( the videos ended up very amusing)
A couple of months ago I discovered that my agency was purchasing a fleet of the Segways and anyone interested in making use of them would be able to go to a training class. Recently I attended the coaching class and I ought to say that I am thoroughly impressed with the Segway.
The most impressive element of the Segway is it’s pace. They leading out at close to twelve.five miles per hour which is a fairly very good charge of velocity. They accelerate quick and an officer could quickly catch up with a suspect fleeing on foot or on a bicycle.
Learning to run the Segway took
a small time but following a handful of hrs I felt invincible as I jumped off curbs and raced along sidewalks and over grass. The Segway handled completely when jumping off concrete curbs at prime speed which is a must if you program on chasing suspects or responding speedily to calls for service.
I was equally as shocked to understand that the Segway can operate more than grass, dirt, and gravel terrain. I assumed the Segway was a pavement only machine but I was wrong. The Segway slowed down while going through grass but it was able to take me up and down a grassy hill.
An additional impressive attribute is the Segway’s ability to manuever and flip. I was in a position to journey down occupied sidewalks even though easily manuevering all around individuals, light poles, cars, and other obstacles. The most remarkable function is the ability to immediately quit the Segway while traveling at best velocity. Even though racing along at twelve.5 miles per hour I was i
n a position to immediately end the Segway by leaning back again and pulling on the handlebar. This attribute is excellent for individuals situations where you want to quit and exit the Segway for an emergency situation or to avoid a collision.
I was worried of the possible for the Segways to be stolen if officers left them unsecured even though conducting investigations that required them to stroll away from their Segways. I learned that our Segways come with an audible alarm that is activated if an individual touches it following the officer turns on the alarm program. The Segways are also extremely heavy and it would be no effortless activity for somebody to select one particular up and run off with it.
Whilst on the Segway you are ready to far better keep an eye on your quick surroundings because you are taller than everyone else close by. Officers are very visible to the public whilst on Segways which is an superb crime deterrent.
The Segway will drastically
benefit a Police Department in assignments in which officers are dealing with big crowds or congested urban areas such as downtown places and apartment complexes. It is also a wonderful Neighborhood Policing instrument in that it gets officers out of their cruisers and up near and personals with the neighborhood. Officers are ready to quickly strategy and talk with citizens even though on the Segway.
I think that the Segway is the ideal Community Policing device but it is quick sufficient and peaceful ample to be used for narcotics enforcement and several other patrol functions.