October 20, 2017
As some will recall, the Department of Public Safety added a number of Segways to its fleet in the summer of 2013. The department has since decided to discontinue using the two-wheeled scooters, as explained here by Executive Director of Public Safety and Transportation Craig Birklid:
“We had to retire the Segway’s from patrol. While they provided a speedy response, allowed Public Safety staff to carry additional first aid supplies (including an AED) and provided additional patrol capability, there were some unintended drawbacks we experienced in their use. Besides some workplace injuries, we had a number of concerns raised by officers about lack of physical activity during their patrol. The university has since invested in the campus wide installation of AED’s allowing for the quick implementation of a device in a cardiac emergency, which was one of the more significant concerns addressed in the Segway deployment. Public Safety continues a foot or bike patrol presence on campus and officers carry some first aid supplies with them. We also have a service vehicle available for officers to provide safety escorts and assist in other duties.”
Click here to learn more about Public Safety at Seattle U.
(Thanks to Dave Madsen, associate professor of history, for the question.)
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