Segways patrol New York in robocop role

SEEMS NEW YORK'S finest are getting mounted up on the nearly-legendary Segway thingamajig to fight crime in the Big Apple. Otherwise mostly a high-tech flop, the new model Segway has been recruited to give coppers the edge.

According to the New York Times, ten of the two-wheeled Segways are to be used as patrol vehicles on paths and in parks, at beaches and at stadia, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said at a news conference yesterday. "Twenty-five officers have completed training as Segway drivers," he said, enabling them to maneuver the devices safely for up to eight continuous hours.

The Segway folks claim nearly 400 police departments worldwide use the techy scooters around the world.

In an interesting twist, the police use of Segway iPlods would be illegal for civilians in the Big Apple. Nice to note that the men in blue are above the law on this, even though they are prohibited from riding the contraptions on streets or unmarked sidewalks.

So long as the criminal element stays within the marked Segway boundaries, This is bound to be a technology "solution" begging for an appropriate problem. µ

L'INQ
NYT piece