collision detection: Segway-mounted police catches fleeing gun-shooting suspect

September 07, 2007

Segway-mounted police catches fleeing gun-shooting suspect

Here's a first in the history of policing: An officer used a Segway to pursue and catch a fleeing, gun-wielding suspect.

Apparently the Chicago police force has 29 Segways, and various officers use them to patrol the downtown core. Officer Thaddeus Martyka was riding one when he heard a gunshot. He saw the perps running away, and gave chase -- at the Segway's blistering top speed of 12.5 miles per hour. Eventually the suspect pooped out and Martkya dismounted and cuffed him. As the Chicago Sun-Times reported:

This is the first time I can recall that the officer used it to chase somebody down," Central District Cmdr. Kevin Ryan said.

Heh. I'll bet. It's such a great mental picture: An officer, trundling leisurely down the street at a pace that would not disturb a cupholder full of coffee, just very ... slowly ... wearing ... the suspect ... down. No screaming sirens, no people diving out of the way of the pursuing vehicle: Just the gentle whine of an electric motor as implacable justice meanders down the street.

Even better is the fact that the Sun-Times used the full, official name of the device -- the Segway Human Transporter. Human Transporter? I wasn't aware of any Segways designed for other, y'know, species. Is there some sort of Segway for dogs or giraffes or something that I'm not aware of?

(Thanks to Fark for this one!)

Posted by Clive Thompson at September 07, 2007 05:17 PM

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Comments

12.5 mph isn't terribly leisurely, it's faster than the average speed of the guy who set the world record for the fastest marathon.

Posted by: James Wallis at September 7, 2007 7:38 PM

Yeah, you're right -- it's actually pretty speedy. It sounded slower than it is ...

Posted by: Clive at September 7, 2007 8:37 PM

For a longer chase, mount them both on Segways but give the cop the Crimestopper™ package. He'd close in by about a decimeter per minute...

Posted by: braine at September 7, 2007 8:58 PM

I've been preaching that "Segways are awesome" for as long as I can remember, it's nice to finally have some evidence to support it.

Posted by: Mr.Bubbles at September 8, 2007 12:31 PM

Um, why didn't the bad guy just step up onto the curb? Then the cop would have had to call backup! "I need backup from Level 2. The suspect has moved to Level 2. Wait! Now he's on Level 3. I need a cop on Level 3!"

Segways are stupid.

Posted by: sam at September 8, 2007 12:48 PM

The police in Florence use Segways as well. We took a picture of one outside a police office in the train station: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hkr/1010833136/in/set-72157601220983151/

Posted by: Hanna at September 8, 2007 1:04 PM

I got an email from someone pointing out that http://segway.com/police-government/products-solutions/robotics-mobility-platform.php ">they do in fact make a Segway for transporting non-human cargo ... which could, thus, include dogs, hamsters, llamas, etc.

Posted by: Clive at September 9, 2007 2:02 PM

Heh. That would be me with that email. One curious thing about the RMPs (their cargo transporters) is that the control method isn't really detailed on that page. I assume the most common mode is for them to act as a cargo trailer for a Segway, but if so, why do you need to power it?

Posted by: Ryan Cousineau at September 9, 2007 5:14 PM

Species! Oh Clive, you're such a card.

Posted by: The Pimp Of Sound at September 9, 2007 5:26 PM

The Chicago Police Department have special snow tires for their segways when the weather gets bad.

Posted by: AllanDuke at September 10, 2007 2:32 PM

Yes!

Speaking of which, I was in Prospect Park in Brookyn last weekend and a police officer cruised by on a Segway! I didn't even know they had a Segway division in NYC!

Posted by: Clive at September 12, 2007 11:22 AM