Osceola County Sheriff's Office Begins Study of Segway(TM) Human Transporters; Study to Examine the Impact of Using Segway HTs for Community Policing.

CELEBRATION, Fla., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The Osceola Florida County Sheriff's Office today begins a six-month study of the Segway(TM) Human Transporter (HT) and how its use impacts community policing throughout the county. Relay Transportation Inc., a Segway dealer based in Celebration, Fla., has loaned four Segway HT i Series models to the office for use in the study.

"The purpose of this study is to assess how using the Segway HT will affect the visibility of our officers, the efficiency of our patrols and our officer's interaction with the community," said Osceola County Sheriff Charles M. Aycock. "We are grateful to Relay Transportation for contributing their time and lending us the Segway HTs for the study."

Twelve officers will utilize Segway HTs on patrols in downtown business districts and in local communities where the Sheriff's office wants to increase interaction with the public. The devices may also be deployed for use at special events, such as parades, fairs and marathons. Each officer has already completed a comprehensive product orientation session provided by Relay Transportation to learn how to operate the Segway HTs.

"The Osceola County Sheriff's Office has served Celebration with dedication for many years, making our community a wonderful place to live and work," said Keith Albrizzi, President of Relay Transportation, Inc. "We hope that the Sheriff's Office will find the Segway HT an effective tool for extending their presence even further into the communities of Osceola County."

Although the Osceola County Sheriff's Office is one of the first to study the Segway HT's performance in a community environment, many other distinguished law enforcement agencies across the U.S. have acquired Segway HTs for policing operations. The Chicago Police Department recently purchased a fleet of 28 Segway HTs to use to patrol O'Hare and Midway Airports. Police officers at Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport and at Orlando International Airport also utilize the device to expedite security patrols. In addition, the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Washington D.C. Metro have purchased Segway HTs to enhance mobility for their security officers who patrol highly trafficked train and subway stations.

The Segway HT is the first self-balancing, electric transportation device designed for short-distance travel. Its compact dimensions and ability to emulate human balance, makes the Segway HT ideal for safely navigating densely populated areas. The Segway HT is battery powered and is recharged by plugging it into a standard wall outlet, costing about 10 cents of energy a day to charge.

The i Series model being utilized by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office is optimized for extended range and enhanced performance on a variety of terrains, including dirt, grass and pavement. It travels up to 12.5 miles per hour and carries a rider weighing up to 250 pounds plus an additional 10 pounds of cargo in the optional Segway Handlebar Bag. The i Series model can travel approximately 10 to 15 miles on one full battery charge.

About Relay Transportation

Relay Transportation, Inc. is an electric vehicle company located in Celebration, Florida. Relay develops both corporate and franchise locations that specialize in the sale, rental and service of electric transportation products such as the Segway(TM) Human Transporter (HT), as well as electric cars and scooters.