by KYW's Tony Hanson
The Philadelphia Police Department has introduced its newest crime fighting tool.
A donation of more than $60,000 from the Philadelphia Police Foundation is covering the cost of ten Segways, a two-wheel, motorized, standup vehicle.
Police commissioner Charles Ramsey (trying one out at right) says the ten Segways, the first of what he hopes will be a growing fleet, are an extension of foot patrol -- with some unique benefits:
"The (officers) are raised higher because they are on a platform which gives them a greater field of visibility. When you are on foot patrol, if we got a call just two blocks down the street, it would take time if you were on foot to get down there. And if you ran down there and ran into something, you might be out of breath.
"On a Segway, you are able to get down there very, very quickly, so it does extend your ability to patrol very, very significantly."
Ramsey says the Segways will initially be deployed in center city, on South Street, in University City, along Main Street in Manayunk, and in Southwest Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Police Foundation, comprised of civic leaders and corporate executives from the Greater Philadelphia region, is an independent, nonprofit organization that strives to promote and maintain public safety by providing resources to the Philadelphia police department.
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