For downtown Athens-Clarke County police, the future is now. And there is no donut that can slow them down.

The officers are employing the latest in personal transportation, the T3 “Personal Mobility Vehicle.”

The vehicle can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour and features zero gas emissions as well as a zero-degree turning radius. The creators of the T3, T3 Motion, strived to create a product that was professional as well as environmentally friendly.

“The T3 is part of a strategy right now in trying to reduce fuel usage. This is electric – it requires no gasoline,” said Josh Watkins, assistant police planner.

The T3 is designed for small but densely-populated areas of all kinds, including college campuses, airports, military bases and shopping malls. According to Jeff Simpson, marketing manager for T3 Motion, Virginia Tech purchased several of the “Personal Mobility Vehicles” for security surveillance on campus.

“Unlike Segway, our competitor, we are currently selling this product for security purposes only,” Simpson said.

Although T3 Motion plans to market the vehicle for personal and recreational use in the near future, they want to first emphasize its usefulness for police officers and security enforcers.

“Our vehicle works (like) a power drill,” Simpson said. “You can take the battery pack off and replace it with another, so there’s no hassle with waiting for something to recharge.”

Because of the vehicle’s strong motor and front wheel drive, it allows officers to maneuver quickly and safely through large areas. In a hilly town like Athens, the T3 is especially helpful.

“Downtown (officers have) been assigned to a bigger area, all the way through Finley Street, and down to the mass transit depot. We also use this to ride the Greenway Trail, which goes all the way from Oconee Street to the Sandy Creek Nature Center,” Sergeant Willie Smith said. “This thing is great for that because you’re not exhausted when you get there.”

The T3, with its 9-inch raised platform, also allows officers to see above crowds for better surveillance. Perhaps more importantly, it makes officers more visible to citizens.

Response from the community has run from indifferent to positive.

“I’ve had people laugh jokingly about it, but nothing really negative. Whenever you see something new, some people think it’s good, some people don’t, Smith said. “It’s just a mode of transportation that allows us to go further.”

Simpson said that the total cost for the vehicle clocks in at just under $9,000. But not to worry – ACC is being frugal with ists new technology.

As of now, Athens has only one T3 vehicle and plans for the future are unknown. But do students think that ACC tax dollars were well spent?

“I did think they were just Segways at first,” said junior Bailey Keiger, a magazines major from Atlanta. “But I think that it’s a good idea. It’s good to see the police force having concern for the environment.”

As for the ACCPD, they are confident that the vehicle will only be a helpful tool for the community.

“It gives you mobility, but it hasn’t jumped out and arrested anyone yet,” Smith said.