The Osceola (Fla.) County Sheriff’s Office will use the Segway Human Transporter (HT) electric scooter on a six-month trial basis to decide whether it helps increase and improve police interaction with the public.

The Sheriff’s Office will use four Segways, on loan from local Segway dealer Relay Transportation, to conduct 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 officers’ interaction with the community,” says Osceola County Sheriff Charles M. Aycock.

Osceola County intends to use the vehicles to increase visibility and public interaction in downtown business districts and some local communities and to assist at special events such as parades and fairs.

The twelve sheriff’s deputies assigned to use Segways have received instruction in the use of the vehicle. Each Segway I series model can travel up to 12.5 miles per hour for 10 to 15 miles on one full battery charge.