Police are patrolling the hot sands of Queensland's beautiful beaches on Segway Personal Transporters (PTs).
Last year we looked at
"How the Segway Patroller is transforming community policing programs" on the lakefront beaches of Lake Ontario, and at
"Beachfront patrols in Bali."
A photo from Daily Mail UK) newspaper article.
Perhaps as some kind of an antidote to the cold, wet English winter, the
UK's Daily Mail newspaper recently published a great set of photos of a policeman on a Segway x2 SE Patroller cruising a hot, sunny Noosa beach. The associated story details how Queensland Police have found the Segway PT to be the best way to do their job at the seaside.
Police began trials a year ago on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Southbank, and by the time these were concluded in June 2013 some 75 officers had been trained to use them. The trial concluded "...that Segway PTs were an ideal alternative way of transport in areas that are normally only accessible by foot."
A photo from Daily Mail UK) newspaper article.
Segway PTs have been deployed in many locations since, from busy downtown areas to community patrols in urban areas, at parks and along riversides, and of course on those famous golden stretches of beachfront. According to the Daily Mail article, Senior Sergant Mcreight said Segway PTs were often used to patrol beaches and boardwalks in his area:
'It's a quick way to move around and research from other law enforcement agency's show they are relatively quick and have a beneficial height factor of about 15-30 cm that allows better vision,' Mr Mcreight said.
'It's a new technology for new police and the guy enjoys using it and finds it quite convenient.'
'It's good fun on the beach, especially when it's busy and you can't really drive or walk - the Segway is pretty good to get around and get between people,' Mr Senekal said.
Advanced traction-control and anti-skid algorithms enable the Segway Personal Transporters to glide safely and quietly through the sand. They emit zero emissions, and leave only the lightest of tracks behind. We've shown how
a person's footprints on Auckland's famous Karekare beach leave much, much deeper impressions in the sand than the low-pressure, balloon tyres of the Segway x2 SE. And in any case, the next tide or a bit of wind soon erases all traces - be they left by man or machine.
