Students looking to stir scandals or curious campus capers beware: The University Police have a Segway. A Segway is a two-wheeled, self-balancing transportation device, according to www.segway.com. It can be used in any terrain or pedestrian environment, except stairs. It is lightweight and runs off electricity through a Lithium-Ion battery as opposed to fuel. Sgt. John Shumaker, of the University Police, said this particular Segway wasn’t being used when it was donated roughly two years ago. Bonnie Fink, director of the Center for Teaching ‘amp; Learning had it at the time and handed it over for police use. ‘I think it was just sitting in a closet somewhere,’ Shumaker said. ‘When we got it we had to have the tires filled and take it to the Segway store in Toledo for a system upgrade.’ He said the Segway would be perfect for the campus because it is lightweight, can operate on grass or sidewalk, through doors and even on elevators, making it handy for the diverse buildings. It can also travel up to 12 mph, so if there was an instance where they would have to chase someone, they could maneuver and catch up much easier than on foot or in a vehicle. ‘I have seen videos where police have used a Segway to direct traffic, because they are about nine inches higher and easy to see,’ Shumaker said. ‘I think that would help us during events where we can look above everyone and make for easier patrol.’ He added when the two-wheeled scooter was given, it was an instance of trainer-training-the-trainer, in which Fink would teach him to use it and he would then teach a select few officers. The officers could either volunteer to brave the Segway, or the foot and cruiser patrols would be trained. The bike officers would remain only bike officers, Shumaker said. ‘We have put so much time, money and effort into bike patrolling, so they’ll probably just stick to the two regular bike wheels instead of the Segway,’ he said. Shumaker said the cost benefits also outweigh the negatives. The Segway runs off electricity and for every hour it charges – to reach its full battery life – it can run for over 12 hours. If it were to run off gas like a regular car, it would get anywhere from 400 to 500 miles per gallon. ‘ Not only is this mode of transportation environmentally friendly, but user-friendly as well, even though Shumaker was weary of the concept of weight control. ‘It’s weird the first time you get on, because standing with exact weight and balance is hard to experience unless your feet are on the ground.’ But Fink trained him on the two-wheeled scooter and gave him a lot of homework on how to train other officers and how to maneuver and most importantly, to control his balance to keep from crashing the device. ‘You have to respect the machine, or else it can be really tricky,’ Shumaker said. ‘You have to learn how to shift your weight the right way, place your feet in the right spot or you’ll just move all over the place.’ Shumaker said keeping one’s feet in the right place is a feat in which some officers may have some problems. ‘I think the toughest problem in training will be showing them how to keep balance and keep them from shifting their weight. This thing can go pretty fast, but luckily, there are safeguards on it so I am confident we will get through training.’ Shumaker said he discovered one safeguard when he was backing up too quickly. ‘It started clicking really loud and that’s the Segway’s way of telling you, ‘you are going too fast!” When practicing during the winter, he used to offices in the Commons building and set up his own obstacle course using chairs and orange police cones, he said. But on nice days, he liked taking the Segway for a campus stroll to see student reactions. ‘Movies like the ‘Paul Blart’ one make the Segway look geeky,’ Shumaker said. ‘But everyone who sees it asks if they can ride it. And I let students try it out, safely of course, to show that it is fairly easy, safe and inform the community what new things we’re trying. It’s the best marketing tool we’ve had.’ Shumaker said that even though the reaction from students regarding the Segway is fun and lighthearted, it is still a police tool and should be taken seriously. Eden Halter, sophomore, agreed. ‘I’d be afraid I’d get run over because the police have a hard time maneuvering on bikes, it has to be harder on a Segway,’ she said. ‘I’d still take them seriously, though, because they are the police but at first glance, it’d be funny to see.’ Sophomore Megan Ryan said she would laugh if she saw a police officer on a Segway, but wouldn’t mess with them because they are at a higher elevation and have wheels. But fellow Sophomore Dominique Cammon said he wouldn’t be able to take the police Segway seriously at all. ‘It’s like a scooter, and it’s silly and doesn’t show authority,’ he said. ‘Students are more likely to try to get away from them but it may help a little bit. I think I can run faster than a Segway.’ Shumaker said being a near-foot taller than the student and the speeds the Segway can reach should be reason enough to continue to deter crimes and misbehavior from students. ‘We’re police, this is just another avenue we’re exploring and if this takes off, over the next few years I’d love to get more and with the sustainable energy and cost benefits, I think it’d be great to have a Segway patrol force,’ he said. And as far as he knows, Bowling Green is the only university in Ohio which has explored this option. ‘We’re trendsetting,’ he said. The Segway may be out during move-out and move-in weekends, depending on the weather, so he can help direct the heavy traffic and assist where he can. And for those interested in purchasing their own Segway, Shumaker said it is still a motorized vehicle. A license is still needed and students and residents can still get a DUI on the Segway.