Staff Report
October 04, 2007 04:00 am A Segway scooter officially joined the Oneonta Police Department fleet Wednesday. The two-wheeled electric personal transporter was donated to the city last month by Autumn Cafe co-owner Tim Johnson, Mayor John Nader said. Introduced in 2001, the Segway has a top speed of about 12 mph, according to the company. Nader said Chief Joseph Redmond is interested in using the Segway as a pilot vehicle to see if it would make a good addition to the police force. New Segways have a starting price of about $5,100, according to Segway By The Bay, a California-based distributor. Nader said former Eighth Ward Alderman Asa C. Allison Jr., who died in office in 2005, was an early proponent of the Segway in Oneonta. But after his death, a plan to purchase the vehicle lost steam, Nader said. Johnson's gift could help revive the idea, Nader said. Patrolman Anthony D'Agostino made the first official patrol with the Segway late Wednesday morning, and his trip turned heads as local residents snapped photos with their cell-phone cameras.
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Photos
Patrolman Anthony D'Agostino rides a Segway scooter Wednesday behind City Hall. The scooter was donated to the city by Autumn Cafe co-owner Tim Johnson.