Segways offer WSU police access, reduce carbon footprint

 
 
PULLMAN, Wash. — WSU police officers have a new tool for patrolling the Pullman campus: Segways. Sgt. Monte Griffin said the vehicles allow officers to work their way through the crowded Terrell Mall and pedestrian areas, where a patrol car would have traveled with some difficulty in the past.
 
Not only will travel be easier, Griffin said the two Segways will save the university money. Their use will cut down on purchasing gas for patrol cars, which often are left running when officers leave quickly to respond to a call. The Segways will decrease wear and tear on patrol cars, he said, meaning they’ll be replaced less often.

The Segways will feature police logos and red and blue lights, Griffin said, and the public must respond to them just as they would a patrol car. If an officer is behind a vehicle with lights on, the vehicle must pull over.

 
Griffin said it will take some time to figure out how to best use the Segways on campus and for duty. But he sees them as a way to build better relations between officers and the public.

Source: Monte Griffin, WSU Police, griffinm@wsu.edu, 509-335-4646

Media contact: Matt Haugen, WSU News, mhaugen@wsu.edu, 509-335-0487