Miami Police Department Employs Segway® PTs to Patrol Super Bowl XLI
Units Will Expand Patrol Range and Speed Up Response Times at Event
BEDFORD, N.H., Jan. 29 // -- Segway Inc. today announced that the Miami-Dade Police Department will be using Segway(R) Personal Transporters (PTs) to provide security services at Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4 and throughout the week preceding the event. The department will use three Segway i2 and three x2 models to patrol the walkways, parking lots and exhibition areas around Dolphin Stadium. In addition, the City of Miami Police Department recently purchased six Segway PTs that it will use to patrol NFL-sponsored events throughout the city.
Patrol officers find Segway PTs extremely useful for an event of this nature because they stand 8" taller on these units, enabling them to have ideal sight lines over people and automobiles. Also, because the Segway PTs are self-balancing and can turn in place, officers can move through crowds much more easily than they could in a patrol car, or on a bike or motorcycle. Segway PTs also enable the patrol officers to respond quickly to emergencies wherever they occur.
More than 70,000 people are expected to attend the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium and thousands more will visit Miami to take part in pre-game festivities. In addition, more than 140 million people in the U.S. are expected to watch the game live on television. Because of the high-profile nature of the Super Bowl, police and security agencies in the host cities typically employ the latest technology to ensure the security and safety of those attending the event. Moreover, because of the demands that these large- scale events place on personnel, police agencies need specialized equipment and tools to make each of their officers more productive and efficient.
Segway PTs are already in use by police agencies in and around Dade County, including the police departments at Miami University, West Palm Beach and Miami Beach.
"More than 175 police agencies around the world use Segway PTs every day to patrol downtown business districts, college campuses, parks, airports and transit stations," said Klee Kleber, vice president of marketing at Segway Inc. "In each case these specialized police units have greatly enhanced the efficiency and productivity of the patrol officers. We are extremely proud to have our most advanced Segway PTs playing an important role in the security of Super Bowl XLI."
The Segway PT is a self-balancing, zero-emission transportation device that can travel up to 12.5 m.p.h. Sophisticated technology allows riders to control their movement and speed by the way they lean their bodies. Lean forward to go forward, lean back to go back. New LeanSteer(TM) technology controls turning as the rider naturally leans in the direction he wants to travel.
The i2 model has a range of up to 24 miles, or 480 city blocks, and is ideally suited for urban and suburban transportation. The x2 model has a wider wheel track and is equipped with all-terrain tires that enable it to travel across rougher surfaces of dirt, gravel or sand. Even on such terrain, its lithium-ion batteries deliver a range of up to 12 miles on a single charge.
Worldwide acceptance of Segway PTs in patrol and community policing applications can be attributed to a collection of unique performance characteristics:
o Officers stand eight inches taller on a Segway PT, enabling them to see
and be seen over crowds and automobiles.
o Officers are also more approachable when on Segway PTs, making them
highly effective in community policing applications.
o Segway PTs give off no emissions, allowing officers to patrol indoors
and out.
o The Segway PT allows an officer to cover more than four times the patrol
area that he or she could cover on foot.
o The Segway PT is self-balancing, even when standing still, and can turn
in place within its small 25-inch footprint. This makes it an ideal
patrol tool when moving through crowds.
o The Segway PT uses no gasoline, and, with the exception of battery
recharging, there is no regular maintenance required on the Segway PT.
Battery recharging costs are extremely low - approximately 25 cents per
day.
o The device can also be used in the rain and cold, with batteries that
are operable to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
For complete specifications of Segway PT models and packages, or to configure a personalized unit, please visit www.segway.com/.
About Segway Inc.
Segway Inc. develops intelligent motion control technology known as Segway(R) Smart Motion(TM) that is embedded in the light electric transportation devices it manufactures, such as the well-known Segway(R) Personal Transporter (PT). Segway Smart Motion provides intelligent motion control that enables a device to monitor its environment, control its motion and make decisions about how it should move.
Segway markets a full line of zero-emissions Segway PTs that deliver impressive energy efficiency - equivalent to 450 miles per gallon. The company's line of Segway Robotic Mobility Platforms (RMPs) offers reliable, durable mobility solutions for robotic applications.
Segway Inc. has a worldwide distribution network of more than 250 retail points in 61 countries. For additional information about Segway and to find retail locations, please visit www.segway.com/ or call 1-866-4SEGWAY. Media materials and digital images are available at the Segway Press Center at www.segway.com/news.
CONTACT: Carla Vallone of Segway Inc., +1-858-259-1281, carla.vallone@segway.com
Web site: www.segway.com/
