Police give Segway a test-drive in city

GLENDALE — Glendale Police Community Police Partnership Unit officers are getting up close and personal to residents and business owners downtown.

The officers for the past four days have been riding two Segways — two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporters — to demonstrate to business owners the type of policing service that is available, said Glendale Police Lt. Gary Montecuollo, who heads up the unit.

The Segways are on loan from Segway of Long Beach until today, but Montecuollo is looking for donations to the Glendale Police Foundation to help pay for Segways and bicycles for the unit.

“Because of the reduced budget, we probably wouldn’t be able to buy these Segways,” he said.

A Segway, which costs $5,400, would allow officers to create closer partnerships with business owners and residents, Montecuollo said.

“Just that little contact is powerful,” he said.

The Segway will give officers increased mobility and speed, Montecuollo said. The transporter weighs 105 pounds and can travel up to 12.5 mph.

The policing unit provides additional support to patrol officers and detectives by identifying problems and crime patterns in a community and trying to fix the issues before they get worse, Montecuollo said.

“Disorderly conditions often lead to disorderly behavior, which often lead to crime,” he said.

The Police Department owns three T3 Motion personal electric vehicles, or PEVs, to combat crimes in shopping centers.

The T3 Motions, a three-wheeled stand-up electric scooterlike machine, are assigned to the Downtown Policing Unit, which monitors the Glendale Galleria, Marketplace, Exchange and Americana on Brand.

But if the Police Department is able to purchase the Segways, they will remain within the unit to better serve their community policing efforts, Montecuollo said.

The Segways will allow residents to have easier access to officers, so they can discuss their concerns about the community, Glendale Police Sgt. John Gilkerson said.

“They put you right down in the street with the people,” Gilkerson said.

“A device like the Segway allows us to interact with the community. We can cover more ground than walking a foot beat, but we’re just as accessible to the public, unlike driving in a police car.”

Downtown Glendale Merchants Assn. Board Member Helen McDonagh is working to raise funds for Segways and bicycles for the officers.

“You see the community interact with police officers when they are more accessible,” McDonagh said.

She hosted a screening of “The Untouchables” on Wednesday, as part of a Summer Film Series at the Alex Theatre, in which proceeds went to help pay for the personal transporters and bicycles.