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Getting a leg up on crime(Omaha World-Herald (NE) (KRT) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) May 26--Omaha police are the latest local security officers to get trendy Segway scooters to zigzag through their patrols. Segways are already a common sight downtown, at the Douglas County Courthouse and at some local malls. Now people can expect to see Omaha police zooming around on the scooters. The Downtown Omaha Business Improvement District has purchased two all-terrain Segways for around $14,500 for the Omaha Police Department, said Shelley Kiel, executive director of the district. "The Segway adds another way of maneuvering quickly downtown," Kiel said. A Segway, which can go as fast as 13 mph, is a two-wheel device that runs on a battery charge lasting about 24 miles. A Segway accelerates when the driver leans forward and goes in reverse when the driver tilts back. Kiel said that with the faster-moving electric scooters, officers will be able to respond more quickly to reports of graffiti and panhandling than on foot. She also hopes that the Segways help deter such that activity, because officers will be more visible to the public. Lt. Gregg Barrios of the southeast police precinct said the Segways will be used downtown in addition to foot and bike patrols, police cruisers and horses. A Segway, Barrios said, allows an officer to get around more quickly without getting tired. The Police Department's bomb squad currently uses a Segway, Officer Michael Pecha said, because of the heavy equipment officers wear as part of their job. Omaha police will get two X2 Police model Segways from the business improvement district. Those models have all-terrain tires that can travel on sand, gravel and grass, as well as additional features, such as lights that will allow officers to patrol at night. The Police Department is not alone in turning to Segways for patrols. For at least a year, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office has been using two Segways to patrol the perimeter of the Douglas County Courthouse, the City-County Building and the county parking garage. At night and on weekends, officials patrol inside the buildings on Segways. "We just have a niche for Segways downtown," said Douglas County Chief Deputy Marty Bilek. "You could operate a Segway anywhere you could walk." Brian Michalski of Securitas Security Services said his security officers use Segways when patrolling First National Bank's downtown office buildings. He has been pleased with the results over the past few years, he said. "We wanted some visibility for the officers and the ability to cross campus in a short amount of time." Mall security forces throughout Omaha also use Segways. "It keeps your employees more motivated to do the job," said Jacob Bettin, co-owner of Frontline Private Security, which handles security for Village Pointe shopping center and Shadow Lake Towne Center. "Instead of having to walk around the entire day," Bettin said, "they look forward to riding around on the Segway." Bettin said his employees have also seen benefits from how quietly and quickly the Segways operate. Just a few weeks ago, he said, an employee was able to sneak up on a group of teens smoking marijuana in a car. It used to take a security officer nearly two hours to check and lock every door at Shadow Lake Towne Center after the mall closes. With a Segway, it takes about a half-hour. With the increased use of Segways by security forces, Scheels in Village Pointe has seen an increase in sales, said Rob Atkins, bike manager at the sporting good store. The law enforcement boom has occurred during the past two years, Atkins said, increasing the store's Segway sales to two or three sales a month from one a month. A Segway base model starts at $5,145. --Contact the writer: 444-1138, [email protected] To see more of the Omaha World-Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.omaha.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Omaha World-Herald, Neb. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |