Bloomfield Police Increase Segway Patrols In Downtown Area

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield police are taking to the streets in an attempt to make people feel safer in the downtown area. And the increased patrols won’t just be on foot… they’ll also be on Segway.

On Saturday, the Bloomfield Police Department kicked off a new initiative that will put more cops on patrol in the downtown center area, part of a “high-visibility” campaign. The officers will provide “positive community interaction” with pedestrians and businesses, authorities said.

And there’s a good chance you may see a cop riding a Segway.

BPD officers who ride the idiosyncratic mobility devices undergo special training to learn how to operate them, Bloomfield Police Director Samuel Anthony DeMaio previously told Patch.

"The township is changing at a rapid pace with a tremendous amount of economic development," DeMaio told Patch. "With this change, the police department needs to change its policing strategies as well to ensure we are providing our residents and visitors with the best service possible. We will explore the need for any new tools in policing that may help us reach that goal."

• See related article: Bloomfield Police Personal Transporter Vehicle Makes Rounds

In August of 2017, the department's new crime-fighting tool paid dividends when a Bloomfield police officer riding his trusty personal transport unit apprehended an alleged bank robber just minutes after he knocked over a PNC Bank on Broad Street, authorities said.

• See related article: Bloomfield Cop On Personal Transporter Catches Alleged Bank Robber

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Photo: Bloomfield Police Department