Capt. John Brandt, left, and Police Aide Supervisor Blake Smith demonstrate the usefulness of the Segway transportation system around downtown College Park.

Even when speeding towards pedestrians at full speed, blue and red lights twirling and blinking and the siren issuing steady beeps, University Police officers Capt. John Brandt and Police Aide Supervisor Blake Smith aren’t very intimidating – because they’re on Segways.

Though the scooter-like electric transporters aren’t that scary, University Police, which just purchased six new i180 Police model Segways at just under $5,000 each, like them that way. They are the perfect tool for monitoring sporting events, escorting students around the campus at night and making connections with the campus community they serve.

“That escort service at night is ready-made for this,” Brandt said, citing the comfort and efficiency with which the vehicle transports student aides or officers to calls. “This cuts their response times easily in half.”

The University Police’s Segways are specially made for police use and have been in their possession for a few days. So far, only about 10 of the roughly 70 student police aides have been trained to use them comfortably, but Brandt,the police auxiliary coordinator, and Smith said the 8-hour training period was easy as they zoomed around the parking lot of the police substation near Fraternity Row.

Police aides and officers are first shown a short video and are then allowed hands-on practice with instructors. Trainees can use the Segways for escort or patrol duties, first practicing at lower speeds. After getting the hang of it, officers can move up to the full 12.5 mph speed by switching between different speed-controlling training keys.

Despite Brandt’s and Smith’s claims, several learners have taken a few tumbles, including one officer who had to get stitches for a cut he received on his chin after falling from the vehicle.

Although the Segways can travel over stairs or rough terrain, the rider risks falling if the stairs are too steep or close together, and hills and stairways can slow or tip a Segway, which can also throw an incautious rider executing a sharp turn.

Weather can limit the Segways’ use as well. “I don’t think you’ll see them out there in the rain,” Smith, a junior criminology major, noted.

The Segways can elevate officers up to eight inches above surrounding crowds or obstacles, increasing officers’ range of view and making them more visible to pedestrians, who are more inclined to strike up conversations with officers on Segways than in police cruisers.

Curious observers along Route 1 shouted out questions to the officers, including one man who remarked about the Segways’ speed. However, Brandt readily admitted anyone can outrun them.

“Even with dress shoes on you can outrun [the Segways]. The average adult can sprint at a speed of 15 to 18 mph, even though the Segways can probably go longer, you can outrun it.” he said.

So far, the Segways have proven useful for patrolling sporting events and other large-crowd, pedestrian events common around the campus. Brandt said the police are continuing to brainstorm different uses for the cutting-edge devices.

“I’m certain they’ll have a great big niche in our special events department,” Brandt said, saying the officers are still discovering new ways to implement the Segways for law enforcement. “We’ll find with use where they’re most applicable.”

As Brandt and Smith zipped around Route 1, one curious woman asked, “Are those fun?”

Brandt turned the device’s handle and spun around to answer her question with a smile.

“Yes, on top of being useful, they’re very fun,” he said, leading him to acknowledge the Segway’s most recently discovered benefit – it is a tool for community outreach. “You get that every 100 yards or so … we get some great conversations started just by standing [around].”

Contact reporter Jeremy Arias at ariasdbk@gmail.com.